Breaking Point
by sassywriterchick
Summary: Everyone in the academy has a story. For most, that story is the only thing they have left. In a world of broken people, Erza Scarlet feels most broken. Can equally shattered Gray Fullbuster help her? Can Lucy make Natsu trust her? Can Romeo get Wendy to utter a sound at all? Not to mention that something is working behind the government, and an even deeper secret surrounds it...
1. See you later Scarlet!

_It was never supposed to end like this_. The thought moved like a slug in his mind. His feet move on their own accord, faster than his brain could ever hope to react. It was instinct. Instinct to protect her from whatever harm they throw her way. Everything is moving in slow motion, his body flying in front of hers his hands outstretched, his body acting graceful for once in his life.

He feels the pain before the crack of the gunfire. It explodes in his gut like a hot brand, and he feels like he's burning from the inside out. Screams fill the room, _her_ screams. His body hits the ground, but the spots on his vision are already starting to gather. He can hear Natsu yelling in fury, and knows that she's safe for now. Natsu won't let anything happen to her. Despite their differences, he would do it for _him._

Still, he wants to yell at her to run, to get out of here and leave him behind. His breath is coming in shaky gasps, and he can't force the words past his throat. The sounds begin to fade, even though he doesn't think they're done screaming. It's like he's underwater, the sounds muffled. Background noise. Someone was lifting up his shirt, exposing the gory wound. His hands are clutching the wound he realizes, as a smudge of blue and white pries them away. _Wendy._

His head is lifted, and placed in a warm lap, fingers running through his hair. His eyes attempt to focus on the face above him, because he knows it's her. She's always there.

"Please hold on." She begs, but her voice is slipping in and out of focus like ocean waves. Her scarlet hair is tickling his face as she bends over, and his left hand moves to catch strands of it in his grip. It was the first thing he noticed about her._ Like a stop sign._

The hand moves to cup her face, his bloodstained thumb rubbing comforting circles on her cheek. Tears are falling out of one brown eye, sobs rocking her body. Other people are speaking, someone is running towards them, but all he can see is her.

"See you later Scarlet." He whispers, blood trickling out of his mouth. His hand falls from her face, and his eyes slip shut.

"GRAY!"

**Two Years Previously**

"This is for your own good son." His Father's hand felt like an iron weight on his shoulder, and with a brutal abrupt move Gray Fullbuster shakes it off. He knows his Dad's so called 'guilt' is for show, and that he was probably relieved to see his screwed up son sent far away from his perfect life. They would probably have a party when he left for this 'Fairy Tail Academy for Troubled Children'. It was made clear a long time ago that he didn't fit into his family's perfect life style, that he was to like his Mother for his own damn good.

Adjusting the large duffel bag he had propped on his shoulder, he surveyed the empty train platform before him, ignoring his families prolonged goodbyes. Sure, he knew he was the last stop, but he didn't think that no one else would be getting on the train with him. It was a special train, meant for the school so any attempts at running away would be thwarted, and parents didn't have to drive their lazy asses up to the school to drop their kids off.

The train was coming; he could hear its wheels whistling on the tracks. Stepping forward, he ignored his sister Ultear's fake attempt at sobbing. She wasn't sad about him leaving; none of them were deep down. At least Lyon had the decency to screw the fake act and merely looked bored, occasionally ruffling his silver hair and puffing out his chest as if he could show off his abs to nonexistent girls.

The train burst into the station with a shrieking whistle, pulling to a stop in front of Gray. Ultear hugged him from behind, and their Father pulled her away, soothing her. She'd still gotten to whisper her message in his ear anyways.

"Don't fuck things up this time." She had hissed , and he simply rolled his eyes at the whole lot of them. Without saying a word, he boarded the train. He wouldn't miss them. Who would?

The train consisted of one car, filled with rows of seats. Almost every single row was already filled with students, and two adults guarded each entrance. They were really serious about keeping him there then. Looking at it, you wouldn't think this was a train for troubled kids. Almost everyone there looked perfectly normal, calling out at friends, exchanging hugs, laughs bounding around the carriage. Gray felt instantly out of place in a place where he was supposed to feel the same as everyone else. Nothing new then.

As he passed each row the students turned to glance up at him, their eyes surveying him quickly before darting away. He ignored them. If he didn't need friends back home, he didn't need friends here. He made his way towards the row at the back of the car, the only one that was mostly empty. Mostly being the key word there. Only one girl occupied the seat, her face turned towards the window. Ignoring all polite courtesies, he sat on the opposite end, leaving one seat between them. The seats were green plaid, and didn't give you much space. Still, he would rather sit one seat away from her then next to the couple making out in the opposite row. Seriously who did that on a train?

As soon as he sat down, the train took off with a lurch, causing his head to slam back into the seat. Someone moaned from a row in front, and Gray caught glimpse of a pink haired guy falling into the aisle, clutching his stomach. A blonde girl went to help him up, although her annoyed yells signified she wasn't to happy about it.

The girl by the window didn't move an inch as the whole thing went down, still leaving him wondering slightly about her face. Not that he cared about those things generally; he just wondered if her eyebrows were the same shade as her hair.

You couldn't call her a ginger, or compare it's shade to dye, as it was a blood red. A beautifully fiery scarlet his Mother would have loved at first sight, then taken up a paint brush and painted its shade. It's tips rested on the seat behind her, and hid most of her from view. He rummaged in his bag for a moment, his Mother still hovering in his mind.

He pulled out his sketchbook and flipped to a blank page. It was his Mother who taught him to draw, how to turn his stick figure drawings into something else. He began to sketch the girl before him, the stiff robotic posture she carried, her hair which took up so much space, the way her palms rested on the window as if she wished to break the glass. It was only when he began adding the details of the area around her when she said something.

"It is common courtesy to ask someone's permission before you draw them." The voice was cool, crisp, and confident. He looked up, but she hadn't moved from her position. Rolling his eyes, he snapped the book shut. After a couple minutes she spoke again. "You're very talented."

"I try to be." He said back, and then leaned back against the seat and pretended to be asleep until the train screeched to a halt. He still hadn't seen her face, as she was gone from the car before he could move, shoving past him, leaving his nose filled with the scent of cheap soap and peppermint.

He trudged past the various people departing the train, until a hand on his arm stopped him. The platform was supposed to be right off the school, but he couldn't see past the large pine trees obscuring his view.

"Are you new?" A bubbly voice sounded, and he looked down to see big brown eyes and a cheery smile. Wordless, he nodded, and recognized her as the girl who helped up the boy earlier. "I'm Lucy!" she introduced herself.

"Gray." He replied curtly, and they didn't say anything else until they rounded the corner, and he got his first glimpse of Fairy Tail. In all honesty, despite the niceness of the train he was expecting a prison looking building surrounded by barbed wire fences. Instead, a soaring grey stone building shot up to the sky in front of him, impressive beauty radiating from it. At first he thought they had taken a wrong turn, surely the happy building with all the flags couldn't be a place for troubled kids, and he couldn't even see all of it.

Lucy let out a sigh at the sight of the building, an easy grin spreading over her features. "Levy-Chan!" she shrieked, evidentially spotting someone she knew and darted away. He couldn't say he was too sorry to see her go. She seemed nice enough, a bit eager… and not his type. The school was surrounded by a fence, large and high… to high to climb over. The gates at the front opened, and out stepped a figure.

"Testing…" the girl tapped the microphone, "Testing… Hello students!" Her voice was like something from a cheesy ad, bright and cheerful. A couple catcalls sounded, but the woman merely smiled. "For newcomers, my name is Mirajane, and while I'm usually in charge of cooking I also would like to show any newbies around." She waved a hand, "Please step forward."

Sighing through his teeth, Gray stepped up,, hearing whispers sound from every corner of the assembled students. To his surprise he saw a flash of scarlet, the girl from the train was already standing in front of Mira. They were the only two.

"Follow me please." Mirajane said happily, and up close Gray could tell Lyon would have hit on her given the chance. She had soft waves of white hair, and large blue eyes which seemed to hold to much false cheeriness to be real. Not that Lyon would notice something like that anyways. Once they had stepped inside of the gate, Gray could see the building properly now.

It was made of solid gray stone, the school emblem hanging from every flag, the windows large and beautiful. It didn't look like a school, more like a castle. "What are your names?" Mirajane asked.

"Gray Fullbuster." He said, and zoned out for a moment.

"…Scarlet." He heard, missing the first part of what the girl on the train said. He mentally slapped himself in the head. He was sure her first name wasn't Scarlet as well, and he couldn't ask her what her name was now without looking like a bloody idiot could he?

"I'm just going to show you around." Mirajane said, "While everyone else returns to their dorms."

She showed them the cafeteria (which looked like a normal high school cafeteria with better food), the gym, the hall where all their classes were held, the detention center, the library, the field, and the Headmasters office (well they saw the door, they didn't get to step inside.)

That whole time, about two hours, Gray didn't get a glimpse of Scarlet's face. She was always in front of him, or her face turned away. He wondered if she was really ugly and just didn't want to show him. It wasn't that he was interested in people in general, more the fact he was rather curious now to see if her eyes were oddly colored as well.

"And these are the dorms." Mirajane said, "Girls to the left, boys to the right. I need to go cook dinner, why don't you go meet your roommates?" She waved goodbye.

"Mirajane is pretty, why don't you stare at her?" Scarlet snapped, whirling around to face him. He realized he had been staring, at the small glimpse of curved throat he could see between the curtains of hair. Now that he was looking at her face, he choked on his own spit.

She was beautiful. Her scarlet hair hung over one eye, obscuring it from view, but the other eye was narrowed, and the brown of oak wood. Her skin was unblemished, the curve of her nose, her throat, everything looked graceful. Her eyebrows matched her hair, and they were drawn down over her eyes in annoyance. She turned away, stalking towards the left having evidentaly gotten her room number already.

"See you later Scarlet?" He called after her, although he didn't know why. She turned back for a moment, her eye reflecting something dark.

"My name is Erza." She spat. "Learn it."

She disappeared around a corner, and Gray stumbled over to the board, searching for his dorm number and his roommate.

_Natsu Dragneel, room 7._

* * *

If you made it this far, you're amazing! I really am not good at beginnings, but I promise I can write drama like no other. Maybe. Probably not.

Anyways, I only need one person following to update again because I seriously love it when someone cares about my stories... Woooooop!


	2. What is there to say Luce?

_"See you later Scarlet?" He called after her, although he didn't know why. She turned back for a moment, her eye reflecting something dark._

_"My name is Erza." She spat. "Learn it."_

_She disappeared around a corner, and Gray stumbled over to the board, searching for his dorm number and his roommate._

_Natsu Dragneel, room 7._

Erza fingered the strap of her bag nervously as she stared at her room number. So far the institution had seemed nice, plush and comfy. It didn't seem like the kind of place where people came because they had 'issues' as her Mother had put it. Erza self consciously put her hand up to her hair, making sure her hair still covered her right eye.

She knocked before entering, just to be safe. There was no sound on the other side, but the door opened anyways. A young girl, probably about thirteen stood nervously in the doorway. She had long blue hair tied up neatly in pigtails, big brown eyes that looked much too large for her small face.

"Hello." Erza greeted, "I'm your new roommate." The girl nodded, and retreated back into the room, leaving the door open for Erza to enter. The room wasn't large, big enough for two twin beds, two desks, two wardrobes and a smaller closed off area for the bathroom. The small girl had already claimed the left bed, marking her place by a small white seashell shaped lamp, and a white cat, which snoozed peacefully on the bed. Erza raised a scarlet eyebrow, but decided not to comment.

"My name is Erza." Erza introduced herself, sticking out a hand. The girl took it and shook, and then paused. Erza waited for her to say her name as well, but the girl remained silent. She smiled at her again, and showed her a luggage tag she had in her pocket. "Nice to meet you… Wendy." Erza read off, and the girl bobbed her head, before retreating back to her bed, leaving her to unpack.

Erza decided not to comment on how she didn't make a sound, and made an assumption that was why she was here. Everyone had to have a reason right? She opened her bag, blocking it's contents from Wendy's brown eyes. She unloaded her three skirts and two sweaters, putting them away neatly in the wardrobe. Her spare set of shoes, a pair of sturdy boots she'd crafted by hand she placed in front of her bed. The bag of eye patches, the only thing she'd ever gotten from her Mother, was quickly shoved inside her pillowcase.

She took out her one personal item she had left from her Uncle, a small carved brown box with her name on the front in curling letters. She placed it on her bedside table, tracing her fingers over the top.

"Hey Wen!" A male voice snapped her out of her methodical unpacking. A pink haired boy threw open the door and bounded into the room. He enveloped Wendy in a hug. "Sorry I couldn't come by earlier, had to unpack." He let go of Wendy. Only then did he notice another presence in the room. Turning with excitement in his onyx eyes he surveyed the newcomer with glee. "I'm Natsu!" he said playfully, shoving his hand in her face. "Wendy's older brother." Erza looked at him in doubt.

Him and Wendy looked nothing alike. Wendy had blue hair and brown eyes, and he had pink and black. Still, something about the look in their eyes, the way they held themselves told Erza they were indeed related.

"Erza." She introduced, smiling slightly to show him she was friendly.

"Do you like books?" he asked abruptly and randomly.

"Yes..?" Erza said uncertainly. She did like books, when she could get them. Natsu grinned again, and she found that he had a nice smile.

"I know just the people you need to be friends with!" He said proudly, "Levy is gonna be ecstatic." Wendy nodded as well.

"Perhaps." Was all she said. She wasn't to sure about making friends yet, although not everyone seemed like the sulky raven haired boy on the train. Maybe they all were this kind and outgoing.

"See you later!" He called, and Erza stiffened. _See you later Scarlet. _She hardly knew him and already this 'Gray Fullbuster' was grating on her nerves. Running her fingers through her hair, she considered the drawing he'd sketched of her. It had been exact in her likeness; the details making her look startlingly… alone. She flopped back down on her bed, burying her face in her pillow. It didn't smell like her house had, like alcohol and cigarettes. Something in her was grateful that it only smelled like laundry detergent.

* * *

Gray's roommate wasn't in the room when he got there. One bed was obviously taken, with flame bedspreads and pictures hung on the billboard, the wardrobe already bursting open with clothes and random junk. Gray unloaded his stuff, shoving his clothes messily into the wardrobe, throwing the sweater Ultear had knit for him out of 'kindness' out into the hall, setting his sketchbook and colored pencils carefully on the desk, taking out the picture of his Mother and setting it on the nightstand.

He laid back on his carefully made Fairy Tail bedspread, and closed his eyes, not even bothering to take off his boots. Although a strange breeze on his chest told him he'd taken off his shirt. Groaning, thanking god he didn't strip on the train, he searched for it.

"Who the hell are you?" A rather rude voice questioned, and Gray turned around, his mind already on the defensive. The owner of the voice was a pink haired boy with black eyes, who was glaring at Gray something fierce.

"The person who lives here dumbass." Gray spat out.

"I live here droopy eyes!" The boy shouted, stepping closer to Gray. Gray stepped closer as well, his eyes narrowing.

"So you're the flame brain I have to room with?"

"Well at least I'm fiery and hot, you're all cold!"

"Ouch. Was that actually supposed to be an insult or are you just to stupid to think of something actually clever?"

"Oh yeah? Are you calling me stupid?"

"So what if I am?"

"You wanna go?

"You really don't want to play with me-"

"OMIGOD ARE YOU GUYS KISSING?" a loud female voice shrieked. Gray and Natsu sprang apart, shouting denials and the blonde woman standing in the doorway laughed. "I'm just joking." She assured them, and Gray realized it was Lucy from the platform. The boy scowled at her.

"Why are you in here?" he asked her, and she rolled her eyes.

"Like you need a reason to come into my room." She pointed out. "Why are you being mean to the newbie?"

"He started it!" the boy protested.

"Whatever Natsu." Lucy said, rolling her eyes. Natsu looked offended, and Gray noticed the way he didn't look her in the eyes. "I was just stopping by to make sure you heard the dinner bell ring." They hadn't. "Gray you can sit with us!" Lucy said cheerily, and before he could protest she was dragging him away by the arm.

Lucy led him to the mess hall easily, and it was clear she knew her way around the school pretty well. He froze when he saw who was sitting at the table she was dragging him to.

* * *

Erza smiled shyly at her plate when Mirajane asked her how her day was. "Fine." The redhead answered quietly, accepting her helping of mashed potatoes and noodles. She had come down with Wendy, and the blunette pointed to the table they were to be sitting at. It was on the edge of the lunchroom, and already had another blue haired girl sitting at it.

"You must be the new girl!" The girl said when Erza sat down next to Wendy, across the table from her. "I'm Levy!"

"Erza." She said, extending her hand to shake. Levy smiled brightly, and then went rattling on about everyone Erza was about to meet. Erza merely nodded, and quietly ate her food.

"I'll get you some dinner. You aren't allergic to anything are you?" a loud bubbly voice spoke up from behind them. Erza turned around, and was faced with the pleasurable sight of Gray Fullbuster being dragged across the cafeteria by a blonde girl. It became less pleasurable when the girl dumped him in the seat next to her.

"So we meet again." He greeted her in a sarcastic voice. She rolled her eyes and focused her one eyed gaze back on her plate, ignoring his presence even though his almost icy smell penetrated her nose.

"You must be Gray!" Levy bubbled, "Lucy told me you met at the train station!" Gray nodded in confirmation, although his ears are a bit red and she can tell he'd rather be sitting by himself.

"Levy?" She spoke up, deciding that she'd save him from Levy's infectious chatter. His navy eyes looked at her in surprise, like he was shocked she would do something for another person. "When do we get our schedules?"

"Tomorrow! But we get told our partners tonight!"

"Partners?" She questioned, her eyebrows drawing together. She didn't know much about the school at all, having never gotten a brochure from her Stepfather. Like he actually looked at one when he shoved her off to this place. Shaking her head firmly to clear of such thoughts, she focused her attention on Levy, waiting for the bluenettes answer. However, it was Gray who spoke first.

"It's the one person you can 'trust'." He said, putting quotation marks around the word. "It's supposed to be an automatic friend thing. You have all the same classes, the same lunch hours, same free time…everything." She looked at him with her good eye, raising an eyebrow. "My sister force fed me the manual." He explained, as Lucy returned. Natsu was trailing behind her, but Erza couldn't help but notice the way his onyx eyes avoiding the blonde.

"Do you all already have one?" Erza questioned, and this time the blonde, who Erza was assuming is Lucy answered.

"No. It changes every year." Lucy shrugged, "Last year I got Levy, and Natsu got Gajeel."

"Attention!" Mirajane called over the assembled students, who were actually behaving all right Erza thought, for a bunch of troubled children. "I'm about to announce this years partners!" She waved a hand, her smile to big for her face.

"Oh dear lord." Natsu muttered, shoving a turkey leg in his face.

"Natsu Dragneel and Lucy Heartfilia!" was the first pairing. Lucy and Natsu, who were sitting across the table from one another, both stared at their plates. No one said a word, just silence. Erza's eyebrows narrowed, and then she patted her hair to make sure it still covered her eye again.

She mostly tuned out for the rest of the names, only hearing that Levy got paired with her apparent boyfriend Gajeel.

"Erza Scarlet and Gray Fullbuster!"

"WHAT?!"

* * *

"Partners huh?" Lucy asked Natsu, trying to keep her voice as cheery as possible. Mira had instructed them to each go on a walk with their new partner, getting to know them. Natsu still wasn't looking at her, like he hadn't all day. They had decided to walk in the school grounds, departing from the newbies Erza and Gray (who had already began to argue) and letting the light from the sunlight wash over their faces.

"Mira is a devil." Natsu muttered, and he gazed at the sunset.

"Why?"

"Because she partnered us together." His voice was calm , cool, and didn't sound like Natsu at all. Lucy cast her eyes on the ground, noticing the distance between their swinging arms. She swallowed.

"How are you?" She asked softly. Natsu still didn't look at her damnit, just gazed at the sun.

"Same as ever." He replied, running fingers through his pink hair. "But not okay."

"Natsu." She begged him, "Please look at him." He turned to her then, and in his onyx eyes there was a bitter anger. "Shouldn't we talk about us?"

"What is there to say Luce?" He questioned her, "You made yourself very clear in June I believe." He turned away again, "I can't even believe you came here after all that. Because your right. I'm fucking broken, and I can't be repaired, so find yourself another charity project." He stalked away.

She let the tears fall, dripping down her face as he left.

* * *

When Gray got back, before Natsu, he took a sketchbook and drew. Drew Mirajane's big smile and sad eyes, Lucy's bubbly face, Levy's encouraging smile, Natsu's anger, Wendy's silent shyness, and lastly he drew Scarlet. He drew the way she had looked when looking at Lucy and Natsu. The way one scarlet eyebrow was pulled down over her face, the way her one brown eye was narrowed in concentration.

They hadn't spoken much on their walk, the silence awkward. It was better that way.

Natsu stormed in, ripping a picture off the wall and threw it to the ground, shattering the frame. He didn't explain his rash behavior, just stalked to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Curiosity getting the better of him, Gray picked up the fallen picture.

It was of Natsu and Lucy. She had her arms around the boy, her face pressed into his hair, and he was laughing. He looked much different then the Natsu Gray knew now. Setting the picture back down on the floor, he went back to bed.

* * *

**A/N: OMG SO MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY FOLLOWED THIS I'M DYING OF EXCITEMENT SO I UPDATED QUICKLY! Sorry Gray and Natsu are both a bit OOC, I'll work on that;) But your first taste of the Nalu drama in this story? Like it? No? **

**Little less GrayZa in this one, but the next one will be jampacked. **


	3. How the hell do you draw your face?

A/N: This is not like any school I know of, it's totally made up by moi. And there's a reason it's not like most troubled peoples schools, but that's an important plot thing for FAR into the future and I won't reveal it just yet. I hope you enjoy Gray and Erza's first day of school, which is what this chapter is all about XD

* * *

_Self Defense_

_ Mathematics_

_ English_

_ Science_

_ Photography_

_ Art_

_ Therapy_

"We have the same classes correct?" Erza questioned Gray (she had forcefully shoved him out of bed this morning) he simply nodded, stifling a yawn with his palm. She didn't get the 'I'm tired leave me alone' vibes coming from him. Her face was lit up as she read the classes they were about to depart for, her whole body practically quivering with the possibilities of the day.

"Self defense is a weird choice." Gray said, staring at his schedule. Erza raised her brown eyes and glared at him. He cleared his throat loudly. "What I mean is it sounds fun!" Honestly he was a little confused as why they'd be teaching apparent 'bad kids' fighting, but decided not to comment on his confusion. He didn't want to get beat up by Erza today. He didn't know if the red headed girl could fight, but he certainly didn't want to be the one she tested her skills on.

"Let's compare our schedules with the others." She said next, gesturing for him to follow. Mostly because he was still sleepy, he didn't protest and simply traced her footsteps. "Ah, Lucy!" He heard her exclaim.

"Hey popsicle!" Natsu shouted, slapping Gray in the back of the head. Gray, suddenly very awake, turned around in utter rage. "I saw Erza drag you outta bed this morning. Does that mean you're not strong enough to take down a measly girl?"

"Natsu, Gray!" Erza scolded, evidentially missing the last comment but hearing their bickering. Both boys looked at her in disbelief. "Stop fighting!"

"Listen Scarlet-"

"Look Erza-"

_Slam! _Gray's head and Natsu's were slammed together in such a manor that both boys stumbled away, swearing. He heard Lucy laugh and Erza snicker, but all Gray could think was: _I now know how self-defense is going to go. _

* * *

"Pair up with your partners…. Or something." Their teacher instructed, rubbing the spot in-between his eyes. Their teacher, Mr. Clive, or Gildarts as he liked to be called, didn't seem that into the subject he was teaching. Still, all the students besides Gray and herself seemed to regard him with a sort of respect.

"Excuse me?" Erza challenged, "Or something?" The man looked down at her, his eyebrows drawing together.

"Are you doubting me?"

"You sound like you're doubting yourself." She shot back, "A proper teacher never should." She almost thought she heard Gray swear behind her.

"Do you really think you know the first thing about self defense?" Gildarts asked her, apparently having woken up from whatever ailed him. Erza nodded, and stepped back several meters, raising her hands in front of her. "Come at me then."

Erza launched herself up at him in a jump kick that certainly caught the teacher off guard. Her small foot smashed into cheek, but soon he grabbed it and flipped her to the ground. She was up on her feet again in the blink of an eye, her fist soaring towards his stomach. He caught her punch before she could land it, and slammed her back into the training mat, knocking the breath out of her. She expected him to scold her for fighting him, but instead he threw back his head and laughed.

"You're the first person to lay a fist on me in seven years sweetheart." He said, grinning. "You'll be a fine student." He reached down a hand to help the girl to her feet. Erza smiled back at him, and went back to stand next to Gray. The raven haired boy looked at her in almost admiration, but he quickly turned his face back to the teacher which left her thinking she'd imagined it.

"Now, what I was saying before-"

"Erza."

"Erza interrupted me, pair up with your school issued partners and try to take them down." She noticed with glee that Gray went white when the man said this._ I can scare you now Fullbuster?_ She thought smugly to herself, turning to face him.

"Shall I go easy on you?" She inquired, her eyebrows rising in challenge. Gray looked slightly nervous, but didn't accept her offer.

The training area consisted of a bunch of cushy mats, usually used for stunts in various movies, and couldn't cause to much damage if you fell down upon them. Erza and Gray stood across from each other on one of the mats. Erza rather liked her new gym uniform, which consisted of red sweatpants with yellow flames stitched up the side, and a loose white top. They had just recently changed, and a blush rose up into Erza's cheek when she realized just how tightly that shirt clung to his abs. Yes, he did have abs.

Erza raised her hands in a typical defense formation. Gray looked nervous, but raised his hand in a similar manner. She was only slightly surprised when he threw the first punch. Gray didn't seem like the kind of boy to be bested that easily, or to be frightened by the aspect that she was a girl. No he was for sure going to fight her.

She ducked the punch, and gripped his arm, attempting to flip him over her head. His punch instead slammed into her stomach, but it was obviously not his full strength. Still, it was enough to knock the wind out of her for a moment. She brought both of her feet up and kicked his chest, sending him flying backwards on top of the mat, Erza falling with him. She landed on top of him with a dull thud, her face inches from his.

"I'm sorry!" She squealed, her voice rising in a manor like it never had before.

"I'm sorry!" He shouted as well.

"That wasn't what you two were supposed to do…" Gildarts said, looking down at the pair of them. "But well done Gray, gotcha yourself a lady friend on the first day?"

The teacher himself had to go to the nurses office that day.

* * *

"How the hell do you draw your face?" Erza asked him suddenly, turning her head up from her sheet of paper and scrutinizing his face. Gray had to stifle a laugh, her paper was covered with erase marks and ugly dark lines.

The lesson was simple, draw your partners face. He'd already sketched the beginning of Erza's one eye, and was concentrating on getting the strands of her hair to perfection. He sighed loudly, rolling his eyes. He crossed the room and picked up a new piece of paper, whisking away her old one. He then flipped his page over.

"Start with a basic circle." He instructed her, lightly sketching the shape on his piece of paper. She attempted to copy him, her fingers shaking slightly as she drew a wobbly circle. He assumed that was the best she could do and moved on. "Two lines." He said, holding up two fingers, and demonstrating them, drawing a cross across the face, representing where the eyes and the mouth would go.

"Okay." She said firmly, and sketched it. He drew a jaw line, and she copied him, and at this point he figured that he would look like a girl on her paper.

"Now attempt drawing the outline of my eyes." He widened them at her. She nodded, and leaned across the table, her face getting closer to his. She studied his eyes, her brown eye inches from his. He could almost see through her hair, but all he could see was white cotton. He didn't question it when she leaned back. She drew his eyes, but they looked more like squashes.

When she was finished, she proudly held up her drawing for him to look at. He raised his eyebrows, then narrowed them in concentration, trying to figure out who she had drawn.

"Hey, weren't you supposed to draw me?"

"That is you!" She protested.

"I though it was Gildarts-" He cut off as a whimper escaped his lips, for she had kicked him under the table…. In a special place no one should _ever_ kick.

* * *

"What are you most afraid of?" Mirajane asked them both, her blue eyes wide. Gray narrowed his own eyes at her, wondering how the heck she was a therapist (which of course was the 'class' they were in right now), a cook, and a newbie guide. Surely enough however, the white haired woman was sitting at a desk in front of him and Erza, a notebook open.

"What will it do for us telling you personal stuff like that?" Gray questioned her, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms across his chest. Erza shot him a glare, but it didn't look like she was about to spill any secrets to Mirajane anytime soon.

"It might feel better to open up to someone." Mirajane crossed to the window inside her office, peering out. "I know it helped me."

"You went to school here?" Erza asked, and Mira nodded.

"Tell you what." She said, sitting back in her desk chair and leaning across the table to look them both in the eyes. "You tell me something about you, and I'll tell you something about me." Her voice had gotten slightly softer.

"I'm most afraid of being vulnerable." Erza said quickly, her voice rushing out so it sounded like one big long word. The redhead stared down at her hands, but other than that word she didn't elaborate.

"Losing-" Mira began, then looked at him. "I'll finish my fear, which comes in two parts, if you tell me yours."

"Deliora." He said swiftly, not removing his gaze from the window, or elaborating.

"Control. Losing control." Mira said, "I think that's enough for today." She watched the pair go, her lip curling upward. They would most certainly be her next matchmaking target. A birds beak tapped against the window, and Mirajane looked back to see a small pink bird cheeping on the windowsill. Frowning slightly, she tapped the window, causing the bird to fly away.

* * *

"Who's Deliora?" Erza inquired as soon as they were back in the hall. Gray looked down at her.

"It's none of your business." He said in a rough voice, and then stomped off towards his room.

* * *

Natsu found that it was very hard to avoid Lucy when you were paired together in ever single fucking class. First it was self defense, where despite his anger towards the blonde, he still couldn't hit her. She'd fallen on top of him, rather on accident or not he didn't know, but it still brought back unwanted memories. In Math he failed the starter quiz because he was to prideful to ask for her help, in English she simply ignored him, and he ignored her.

She still looked the same, with the same innocent brown eyes, the blonde hair that smelled like vanilla, everything. As if nothing had really happened in July. _"Why can't you trust me Natsu? Maybe you're to messed up for even me to handle." _Natsu punched the punching bag again.

He was currently in the training room, beating the hell out of the red bag, his fists starting to crack and bleed. But he didn't care. On the outside, he was still the same. He tried to be. But on the inside his mind screamed at him that he was a fool. That no one except for Wendy could be trusted.

A small hand rested on his shoulder, and he whirled around, a violent bellow erupting from his lips. Wendy was used to his antics and merely placed her hands on her hips, gesturing for him to sit down. He watched his little sister as she marched over to the first aid kit and took out a couple of bandages, before gingerly wrapping them around his fragile knuckles.

"How do you like your room mate?" He asked her, and she nodded, a smile lighting up her features. He laughed. Wendy stopped speaking that one day seven years ago, and while he missed their proper conversations, he still loved the silent communication they had developed. Her smile faded, a frown on her features as she pointed to his hands. "I know." He sighed, and she shrugged her shoulders . _Why? _"Because of Lucy."

She slapped his head. Her hands were on her hips, her eyebrows furrowed. She shook her head firmly, pointing to his heart, and then his head. _You need to forget about her. _

"I know Wen." He murmured, and extended his arms. His sister fell into them easily, her small face pressed into his shoulder. Wendy was the only person he could trust, ever since he was a baby he had always felt out of place. She made him feel at home again. When he was with her, it felt like anything was possible.

They didn't notice the blonde staring from the doorway, quickly darting away when she heard that she was the reason for Natsu's frustration.

* * *

"Fairy Tail is contained?"

"Yes, and all the others as well."

"You know I only care about Fairy Tail."

"Yes, and without a single death."

"Efficient, you will be paid well. With us the only ones with knowledge of truth, we can now rule the world. Especially with those brats out of the way."

"And no one will suspect a thing."

**A/N: Mystery! Maybe. I don't think anyone can really guess where I'm taking this…. LOL. But thank you so much for reviewing! This story has gotten way more followers then I thought it would, considering it's only the third chapter.**

** Thank you!**


	4. I Promise Wendy

** Two weeks past last chapter.**

"Hey Wen!" A cheery voice called out, and Wendy turned away with a small smile on her face her hand moving to wave at the owner of the voice, Romeo Conbolt. Romeo was her best friend, and she couldn't imagine life without him. The inky haired boy fell into step with her easily, his hand moving to bump against hers in a friendly manor. Wendy let her smile grow into a grin; she was most at ease with the young Conbolt. "Elfman has stopped lecturing me about being manly! I've met his standards apparently." Wendy gave him a high five, and the two fell into a comfortable silence.

Wendy was Romeo's partner, as she was every year. Mirajane never separated the two, apparently understanding that with anyone else, Wendy was sure to be asked uncomfortable questions she couldn't answer in her own way. Romeo had never asked those questions, about why she couldn't talk, why she didn't _want_ to talk. He didn't pressure her into attempting to converse with him vocally.

Neither did Erza or Gray, which the blunette found rather strange. Most of her roommates at least questioned her disability, but Erza had accepted it without confirmation from Natsu or Mira. Wendy found that she rather liked her new roommate above any others she had in the past; the redheaded girl didn't like to invade Wendy's privacy, but was rather funny. Especially when she was complaining about Gray. That was all Erza seemingly spoke about, 'that damn Fullbuster' as she liked to call him. Apparently he did nothing but get on Erza's nerves, although from her own personal experience with the newbie, Wendy thought he was rather gentle, at least to her. No wonder he and Natsu bashed heads.

"I forgot which class we have." Romeo groaned out loud, "And I doubt Cana would help us." He gestured to the brunette who was slinking into the girl's bathroom. Cana was supposed to be the 'helper' or so Mira assigned her. The girl had been here the longest, probably because her Father was a teacher here. Cana was nice enough, but drank way too much. A scream sounded.

"DID YOU SERIOUSLY JUST TAKE OFF YOUR SHIRT?!" A shout erupted from in front of them as Wendy rifled through her bag, looking for her schedule. Glancing up, her eyes met the odd sight of a shirtless Gray Fullbuster, and a screaming Erza Scarlet. Finding her schedule, she waved it in Romeo's face, moving her hands violently, telling him to move along before they were pulled into the fray.

Romeo took her hand and pulled her after him, and a faint blush rose to her cheeks at how warm his hand was. Still, she made no gesture that she was uncomfortable with the contact. Erza's shouts faded into the distance as she and Romeo ducked into their classroom, which happened to be art.

Art was a mandatory class here, taught by Mr. Reedus. It was apparently a theory that if you let kids channel their frustrations into canvas, then it would be a miracle cure. Still, hardly anyone left this place, nor wanted to leave. Fairy Tail was fun, not depressing. She and Romeo sat next to Natsu and Lucy, who had this class together. Wendy tapped her brother on the head to notify her presence.

"Hey Wen." He said, turning around slightly, relief plain in his onyx eyes. She felt slightly abashed that she and Romeo had forgotten their schedule so easily, that she left him alone with Lucy for so long. Her fingernails scratched at her palms in worry, but Natsu's easy grin at her made her relax slightly.

"Hi Wendy!" Lucy waved a hand at her, and Wendy shyly waved back. She may not approve of her relationship with her brother, but she still thought of the blonde as a friend… sort of. She sat across from them, beside Romeo, and pulled a pencil out of her bag.

Today they were still working on finishing their drawings of their partners. Wendy had gotten help from Gray the night previously, and was ready to paint now. She reached for the paints, but a sudden smell brushed her nose. She whipped her head up quickly and saw Natsu do the same, but it was simply the nurse Porlyusica on her way to report something to Reedus. Wendy slumped back in her chair, her hopes instantly dashed as they had been every time the nurse passed. Natsu reached across the table and patted her hand.

"We'll find her someday Wendy." He promised, ignoring Lucy and Romeo's confused looks. "I promise."

* * *

The moment he realized he was shirtless he knew he was screwed. To be honest, he was pretty proud of himself for keeping his 'little habit' under wraps for this long. It seriously was not his fault. His Mother had always believed to paint meant you had to rid yourself of any distractions, which included most clothing items, and unfortunately she had taught him that.

Erza had been walking in front of him at the time, her back stiff. He knew she was still angry about being stuck with him as her partner, because he was supposedly supposed to be her friend. Someone she could trust. He knew he didn't fit that bill. He had been focused on her red hair, which swung from side to side. It was so distracting, like a stop sign. Then he felt the breeze on his chest. Looking downward, he soon realized he was not only shirtless but pants less. Trying not to panic, because that would notify the evil woman in front of him, he searched in vain for his clothes. He had to find them.

"Gray, which way is it- AEEEEEK!" A girlish scream erupted from Erza's mouth when her head flitted back to glance at him, one he never thought could escape from her mouth. It was….cute. "DID YOU SERIOUSLY JUST TAKE OFF YOUR SHIRT?!"

Gray raised his hands in defense, backing away.

"It's just a habit, I'm sorr-"

"HABIT?! ARE YOU SOME KIND OF PERVERT?" She demanded, marching over to where he stood and poking him in the chest.

"What… do you like what you see?" He asked, a grin filling his features.

* * *

"So Mr. Fullbuster, how did you get knocked out? Ms. Scarlet said she turned away for a moment and the next thing she knew you were on the ground."

* * *

"Hey Natsu, do you like my drawing of you?" Lucy's bubbly voice invaded Wendy's concentration, but she didn't mind. Out of curiosity the blue haired girl glanced upwards at what Lucy was holding up proudly. It looked like a circle with pink spikes jutting out of it. Wendy gave her thumbs up, while Natsu just ignored the blonde. Wendy kicked him under the table. She wanted him to forget about her, move on with someone else, but that didn't mean he had to be downright rude.

"Leave it alone Wen." Romeo whispered in her ear, experimenting different colors of blue on a piece of paper, trying to see which one would match her hair color the best. She watched him work for a moment, her thoughts jumbled before she turned back to her own piece of artwork.

"Hey, weren't Gray and Erza supposed to be in this class?" Lucy piped up, apparently acting like the awkward silence between her and Natsu was nothing. Wendy shrugged, even though she was pretty sure that it was true. Still, the room, while full of students, was missing those two.

"I bet they're making out in a corner." Natsu snickered, and this time Wendy kicked him harder, glaring at him. He didn't know how annoyed Gray made Erza. Wendy herself only knew because the redhead always came into their room murmuring his name murderously and throwing plastic knives from the dinner table at a picture of his head she had taped on the wall. "What?" Natsu groaned, rubbing his knee. Wendy simply glared. "No, you're right. I bet it would be in a supply close- OW!"

Mirajane was not busy for the first time in two years. She felt out of place, Elfman (her younger brother) was in a class and she couldn't afford to pull him out of it for the sake of her own distraction. Apparently Gray was taken to the infirmary and Erza was taking care of him there, although Mira couldn't imagine the redhead showing any affection towards the raven-haired boy.

She was sitting at her desk, not moving an inch, trying not to let her mind spiral off into different directions. She could start preparing dinner, but it was to early. Two weeks into the school year and she already had free time. The horror.

_"We still love you." _Shaking her head firmly, she stood up, approaching the window. A pink bird tapped the glass with it's beak, and Mira shooed it away, again. The bird was there at this time every day, although the white haired girl couldn't imagine why. It wasn't like she fed it or anything. Still, she couldn't find it in her heart to ask Elfman to take care of it, because Lisanna used to love creatures like those.

_Lisanna. _Just thinking the name hurt. Still, she had thought it today. That was better than most days, Mira supposed. _Lisanna is dea- _ She tried to think next, but a spasm of emotional sorrow rose up in her, cutting off the sentence. She closed the curtains, and went to make dinner a bit early.

* * *

"Still the same as ever." The small white haired teenager stepped into the cave, her blue eyes narrowed. "Did you look at your guild?" She addressed the golden haired boy sitting on the stone floor. He looked up at her, and shook his head.

"Same." He agreed, lying back. "And no sign of anything at all?"

"None." She sat next to him. "Perhaps when the others return we'll have more information." She stares at the dim cave walls, illuminated only by a fire burning in the back.

"We'll find some information at some point" The boy said, letting his cocky attitude slip back into his voice. "Don't worry, Lisanna."

"Of course not, Sting."

* * *

A/N: Totally a filler I know. BUT I ALSO KNOW IT'S REALLY CONFUSING RIGHT NOW AND IT WILL BE FOR A WHILE I PROMISE ;) It will make sense at somepoint, I promise. WELL SO MANY PEOPLE FOLLOWED THIS, I NEARLY FAINTED. I MEAN YOU GUYS ARE JUST AWESOME. **Heck yes!**

More RoWen, GrayZa, and NaLU to come!


	5. The Halloween Dance

**READ THIS NOW**

**I WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THIS STORY!**

**There are a lot of Fairy Tail Academy ones, and honestly it doesn't fit the story as well as I would like it to. So I'm thinking either:**

**A.****Losing Control**

**b. Losing your Memory**

**C. Keep it the same**

**LET ME KNOW IN YOUR REVIEW/PMS!**

**-Thanks!**

* * *

_October_

Gray's favorite part of this school wasn't the classes (which weren't as bad as normal high school classes, the perks of lazy teachers) the food, or the general company he somehow accidentally surrounded himself with everyday, it was the school grounds.

The school was wonderful, to his surprise. He was actually okay with the people who made him sit with them at lunch everyday, and while he wouldn't call any of them his 'friends' (simply because he didn't have such things) he tolerated their presence enough to sit through their chatter. He actually found that he was starting to become aquatints with some of them, such as the school drinker Cana (who'd he'd only met on his third week because someone forced her to come to class), Lucy (who was as happy as ever), and even Wendy. He still was annoyed every time Natsu entered the room, and Erza frankly was too much for anyone to handle. She was a newbie just like him, but everyone already regarded her with a scary respect fit for Gildarts. Every time they face each other, they argued, and he'd taken the chance to strip purposely whenever he could just to annoy her.

But, back to the school grounds. It was October (a month or so had passed since he entered the school) and already the green leaves were starting to turn orange, the grass starting to yellow, and the air becoming cooler. The lighting was beautiful, the golden fall light, which was perfect for artists. So Gray, when he wasn't being forcibly dragged by Lucy to lunch, or dragged by Erza to his classes, or sleeping, he was outside in the fresh air.

Of course, he was outside when the dreaded Halloween dance came up. The girls had been squealing about it for weeks (as it seemed they had Halloween dance instead of Homecoming), debating on which dresses to wear, who would be their partners, if they should go on diets… blah, blah, blah. He had listened, just today, to Lucy and Levy practically screaming to the rest of the lunch table (Which now consisted of himself, Erza, Wendy, Natsu, Lucy, Levy, and a scary man named Gajeel with lots of piercings Gray had never talked to.) Gray had wished he had taken up Cana's offer on joining her in a drinking fest that afternoon, anything to escape from that _squealing._

When asked whom he was taking to the dance, he simply said he wasn't going… which was the absolute truth. Nope, he was taking the absence of people in the grounds to paint. Now, he couldn't see much of the setting sun beyond the high wall that bordered the school's property, but there was a river that ran through the place he longed to draw. He hadn't painted in a _long_ time, but with some borrowed materials from the art room and a blank canvas, he was ready to give it another try. (See what peace and quiet could do for his happiness?)

He took from his room a dark jacket, not because he needed it. He didn't want some stupid teacher patrolling the grounds to yell at him to get inside because he wasn't properly covered, and he knew for a fact that they wouldn't listen to reason.

When he passed the gym, he caught sight of all of his 'lunch buddies' dancing, even the fiery idiot. Shaking his head slightly at the sight of Cana attempting to dance, he exited the school before his eyes could be further scarred. It wasn't that he didn't like the people who constantly insisted he be by them; it was more the fact he felt like they wanted him to open up to him. He got the same feeling from Mira as well, considering him and Erza hadn't spilled a word in the last month, leaving their therapy sessions long and wordless.

It didn't matter if he had been in the school for a month, it still felt like yesterday. Of course _it_ had felt like yesterday for the past seven years.

_"I've freed you from the darkness Gray." _ He stood still, his eyes widening. _Stop it. _He told himself, _stop it right now._

* * *

Sometimes she allowed herself to cry. It wasn't very often; usually she swallowed the tears and maintained the strong look for everyone else. She _wanted _them to believe that her parents were perfectly normal people that simply thought she had a problem. That was what she wanted people to believe, and in some ways she felt like it was true. She had never felt like she belonged in this life, almost like she had a second identity she'd forgotten.

When the Halloween dance came to pass, she secretly had _hoped_ that someone would ask her. Someone would want to dance with her, to see her in a pretty dress. When the days passed and soon everyone had a date (even that drunken girl Cana) Erza soon lost hope. She told everyone she didn't even want to go to the dance, which was a lie. So instead, under the pretense of studying (which was mostly to fool Wendy who was also attending the dance) she snuck out onto the grounds.

She was almost thinking this was a foolish idea, she didn't own a coat, and her sweater didn't provide much shelter from the cool autumn breeze. It was a new sweater, one she had found in the boy's hallway the first day of school. It had looked rather abandoned, and she couldn't let good fabric like that go to waste could she? She sat still for another moment, before a tear drifted to her one eye. A scuffling of footsteps sounded behind her, and in her surprise she turned around without wiping the diamond like tear from shining out of her eye.

Gray Fullbuster, his mouth open like he was going to fight with her, stopped in his tracks. His mouth shut with a snap and a heated blush rose to his cheeks. Erza quickly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, before scrutinizing the painter, who indeed had his canvas and paints clutched in his grip.

"What do you want?" She demanded of him, and was mortified to find that her voice still shook slightly from her release of the emotions she had kept inside of her for so long. Gray, usually so smooth and calm with his responses to her, looked startled. He moved to looking at his feet, but her own brown eye never left his face.

"Tell me something," He started warily, as if he was scared for the answer, "Why don't you talk about yourself at all?"

"Turning into Mira are we?" Erza questioned, "And I wouldn't be talking, Mister 'to cool for friends'." Gray turned an even deeper shade of red, which somehow satisfied Erza in some way, as well as made a slightly guilty feeling start in the pit of her stomach. "I don't like opening up, or really being around other people, it makes me uncomfortable."

"_Well, you're alone now so why are you crying_?" His voice was an indignant pitch, and his head snapped up so the blue of his eyes could meet the brown of her eye. She was taken aback by his answer; so much that she couldn't find the words to reply. It was true; she was alone, where she should feel more comfortable, so why was she crying?

Fullbuster stuffed his hands in his pockets, and moved to sit beside her in a cross-legged position, his back stiff as he unloaded his paints and canvas. She sat beside him, smiling up at the raven-haired boy.

"So you're not going to argue with me today?" She inquired, a playful tone in her voice. It was the first time they had a proper conversation that didn't end badly.

"I can't argue with a girl who's _crying_!" He protested indignantly. She laughed. He was blushing still. "I'm not good with this." He muttered to himself.

"Not good at what?" She teased him, "Not arguing?"

"Making friends." He mumbled, so she almost couldn't hear him.

"Are you trying to become my friend Gray?"

"I don't have friends."

"I don't either."

"Good."

"Fine."

"Do you know how to make friends?"

"How should I know?! I just said I never had one!"

"I thought Lucy was your friend!"

"I…" Erza trailed off, seeing his point. "Maybe I have made friends." She said, startled.

"Good for you."

"Well you have too."

"No I haven't!"

"Yes you have, because _I'm _your friend!"

"My record is broken!" He fake wailed, although his blush had faded. "And it's not friendship exactly, it's more like a… _truce_."

"A truce?"

"Not to argue anymore."

"Alright." She said, and after a couple minutes watching him pick a color she asked another question. "Can I watch you paint?"

"If you gotta." He responded, "What is something you love?"

"I love?" She inquired, "Why does that matter?"

"You know that I love to paint-"

_"Strawberry cheesecake." _She interrupted him mid-sentence, her face going dreamy at the idea of her favorite treat.

"That's what you love?"

"Don't make fun of me!"

"I thought that's what friends did! Don't hit me-!"

"But people in a truce can hit each other all they want-"

"_Ow!_ Okay fine, we're friends. _ERZA I SAID WE'RE FRIENDS DON'T HURT ME!"_

* * *

"Hey Natsu, do you want to dance?" Lucy asked him shyly. Her mind was not focused on to much else other than the pink haired boy, who was sitting in one of the chairs lined up along the walls with a dejected look on his face. She was certain she looked pretty enough to want to dance with tonight, wearing a tight blue dress that showed off her curves and highlighted her features. His onyx eyes scanned over her form briefly before they resumed staring at the floor.

"BE A MAN!" Came a bellow from behind them, and Lucy turned around to see Elfman, Mirajane's younger brother (WELL WASN'T THAT JUST A RUSHED INTRODUCTION HUH?! Feel free to yell at your author now lovelies.) yelling at them from across the dance floor.

Lucy turned back with a hopeful look in her eye, but Natsu was gone. She whirled around, and watched him walk out of the gym's doors without a _word_ to her. The blonde sank down into his vacated seat, and didn't dance with anyone the rest of the night.

* * *

Wendy noticed Natsu walk out of the gym and was about to follow him when a small hand gripped her wrist. She turned around in surprise to see a blushing Romeo Conbolt, who let go of her wrist immediately when she turned her gaze upon him.

"He'll be okay." He reassured her, "Do you want to dance?" Shyly she glanced at the floor, and then nodded in acceptance.

Both of them being thirteen, Wendy not having a Mother for- With her special circumstances, and Romeo's Mother having left when he was young (leaving him with a Father who happened to be the gym teacher) none of them had any dancing skills. Romeo uncertainly put his hand on her waist, and they clasped their other hands together, while Wendy placed her other hand on his shoulder. They _awkwardly_ slow danced to a fast song for a couple minutes, both of their faces bright red. It wasn't until Elfman burst in and yelled at Romeo for not being madly enough was when it got fun.

Wendy grinned and bounced on the balls of her feet (which was like laughing for her) while Romeo blushed and mumbled excuses. Wendy dragged him away from the furious Elfman, and outside of the gym to an empty classroom, where they continued to spend the rest of the night doodling on the whiteboards with dry erase markers and simply not talking.

_It was the best night of her life._

* * *

The girl's feet hit the ground with well-practiced ease, an exhilarated smile lighting up her features as she throws the last she can muster of her swords at the approaching guards. They fall to the ground, howling in pain… but not dying. She would never kill someone! Not after her… past.

She skipped past their fallen forms, her pink hair bouncing behind her as she met at the rendezvous point.

"You always have to make a big scene don't you?" A man's voice spoke out of the shadows, his face hidden by a dark cloak. The girl crinkled her face, pouting.

"Why not have a little fun with these bastards?" She questioned her colleague.

"She wouldn't like it." The man continues, and the girl sticks her tongue out at him.

"They'll be fine in an hour. It just hurts for a little bit." She holds up two fingers to gauge the pain level, "I perfected them so it only causes pain for a bit, and then knocks 'em out."

"She's been training you to create your own ways of using that magic to much." The man sighs.

"Oh lighten up!" She teased. "Anyways, any info on the world's current predicament?" She looked eager to know. The man shook his head.

"Afraid not. Looks like this was just a training base. Sting's going to be frustrated. He was sure that this was it."

_"He's been sure for the last year!"_ The girl nearly shouts, waving her hands in the air. "I didn't know him at all before the incident, and now I know him _to _much!"

"I know. At least we aren't on the run anymore?" He offered weakly.

"You know I would rather have _her_ back." The girl said, shaking her head. "I wish you weren't always away. You and me are the only one's left of our team."

"That's two thirds." He said dryly, and she absently waved a hand.

"Her presence is effective." Her voice grew darker, "I miss her."

"We both do. But she's _happy_, remember? We just went and saw her last week."

"I know but, if it wasn't for what happened, for _what happened to-"_

Shouts from down the hall cut off her sentence, and she frowned.

"Are you out?" He questioned her.

"Yeah. Look, just don't kill anyone. We aren't those people anymore." She reminded the boy, "You got my back? At least we can tell Lis and Sting that we took out the training area!"

"With no deaths." He added, "That would have been impossible eight years ago." She saluted him.

"See you back in the cave!"

"Good luck!" The boy called after her.

* * *

**A/N: Any idea who the girl is? She's not an OC (I'm terrible at making up original characters.) Okay, so I realized I did a shoddy job at introducing Elfman, Cana, and Gajeel (who I've just refrenced) and Juvia lovers, she will come in later! I should have added Gajeel in later too… but to late!**

** ATTENTION! NEXT CHAPTER IS WHEN THE ACTION STARTS! LIKE ACTUALLY INTRESTING STUFF BECAUSE THIS IS KINDA DULL HUH?**

**ALSO IT'S GRAYZA WEEK STARTING THE 18****TH****! PUBLISH YOUR ONE-SHOTS! Just google GrayZa week and a list of the prompts for each of the days comes up.**

** I was kinda surprised when so many people followed this… like I feel like it's kinda rushed…. Idek. What do you think? **

**Okay, Goodbye! *does Fairy Tail sign***


	6. Deliora

A knock sounded at the door to Lucy's dorm room. She looked around at the empty room in dismay, it was Saturday and the students could do whatever they please, as long as it was on the grounds. Levy had chosen to leave her alone, and since Natsu still hadn't talked to her since the Halloween disaster three weeks ago, she was alone. Company would be nice however, and she hopped up quickly, swinging the door open.

"Hello!" She said cheerily, before a blob of pink blocked her vision of the hallway. Natsu was standing in front of her, his hands in his pockets and his expression confused. "Natsu?" She questioned.

"We need to talk." He said simply, turning around, and heading back down the hallway. He knew she would follow. She quickly pulled on her shoes and hopped out the door, excitement spreading in her stomach. He wanted to _talk_ with _her_.

"I was thinking the same thing- we could go to the river-"

"No." Natsu said abruptly. "I want to go into the forest, where no one can walk in on us."

The forest was the thick band of trees on the north side of the school, separated by a wall thicker than any of the other sides. They were absolutely prohibited from venturing inside of it, but everyone did at some point. There was a weak spot in the stone, a small tunnel like hole big enough for a medium size person to fit through. It used to be Lucy and Natsu's special place when they were dating, walking among the quiet trees, simply being with one another. The fact he wanted to go there was very promising.

"Alright." She said, trying not to sound surprised, following him out into the grounds. She soon wished she had brought a jacket, her light sweater drifting slightly in the breeze, bringing Goosebumps to her arms. Natsu didn't look back as he stalked through crowds of students, not being very discrete on their sneaking out.

The tunnel, as far as they knew, was only known by students. It was hidden by a clump of bushes, dense enough that even in the winter their brown branches hid the entrance. Natsu roughly pushed past them, the spiny branches catching at his clothes. Lucy followed him, more carefully; looking around to make sure no one had seen them.

They walked for quite a while, once they were amongst the quiet trees, father than they ever had before. She wondered if they would be able to find their way back when Natsu finally stopped.

"What is it?" She asked, her voice peaking in curiosity.

"Luce, I'm going to request to have a partner change." He said abruptly, his onyx eyes meeting her brown ones for the first time in so long as he turned around. Lucy felt shivers run up and down her spine at the feeling of his gaze; it was what had made her fall in love with him from the start. Her Mother used to tell her that eyes were the windows to the soul, and she was now a firm believer of that. Natsu's eyes were so reflective, and for the first time in a long time, she couldn't tell what he was feeling beneath all the intricate layers of emotions.

"Why?" She asked, her voice dipping into a hurt tone for a moment, but she kept her expression neutral.

"I did some thinking." He confessed, and she didn't let her surprise at him using his brain cross her features, even if it was a bit of a shocker. "I realized I wasn't angry at you for what happened, I was angry at myself."

"What does that have to do with partners? " She asked softly, "And Natsu it was my fault-"

"No it wasn't." He cut her off before she could offer an explanation, his voice hard. "It's me that can't be fixed. You tried your best Luce," He offered her a crooked smile, "But it's like a car. When the price is more than the car is worth, you got to kick it to the curb." Lucy felt tears prickle her eyes, but didn't get the chance to say something before he spoke again. "What I'm trying to say is I don't want you to try anymore. You deserve someone who can… trust you. Who can be there for you throughout the good and the bad. I'm not that person."

"Natsu-" She tried to say, but it came out a pathetic squeak. This was worse, far worse than their fight last June, then his ignorance of her all year. It hurt more because Natsu was smiling at her, a genuine smile, like he was doing her a favor instead of breaking her heart into a thousand shards, which punctured her inner organs and tore at her brain until she felt like a torn mess.

"I believe you can find that person Luce- Lucy." He promised, and the fact that he correct his nickname for her, as if it signified their relationship hurt even more. "But- Let's go back to being best friends kay?" He asked, "I want to be able to look at you properly again."

"Sure!" Lucy said, masking her voice so it sounded happy again, not like she was breaking apart inside or anything.

* * *

_"Gray!" A desperate voice filled his ears, but he didn't turn around. As much as he loved her, he didn't turn around. He could picture her perfectly though, a slim spot in the darkness, her arms wrapped protectively around Lyon and Ultear, trying to prevent them from following him also. The screams rang through the streets, gunshots ringing, and bombs exploding. The town was dying. "Come back! You don't stand a chance!" _

_ "I have to do this!" He screamed in reply, and he didn't turn around. Oh, how he wished he turned around._

"Gray, wake up!" A shout erupted in his ears, and Gray sat up with a start, cold sweat drenching his body and tears in his eyes. Someone was shaking his shoulders, and scarlet hair obscured his vision. He sat up immediately, his eyes wild.

"Mom?" he asked, before he remembered. She had black hair. Erza looked at him with that brown eye of hers, and he blushed furiously. She had found him in the worst time possible, in the worst situation he could possibly be in. Besides, he smelled bad. Not that he cared what she thought of his smell of course. That would signify actually caring about what she thought of him and of course he didn't! Psh.

"Are you okay?" Erza asked, standing up. She wasn't looking at him in sympathy, or pity, but with a fierce braveness that somehow made him feel okay. He only then noticed that she smelled like strawberries now.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He ground out, throwing back his covers, trying to fight off a blush. "Bad dream."

"Oh, okay." Erza nodded, and looked sheepishly around at the room.

"Why are you here?" He asked her, his eyebrows narrowing. She blushed, and picked at the hem of her sweater before replying.

"The Master sent me to get you… well Mira said he wanted to see you, and that I should get you." She quickly explained, the words coming out in a heated rush.

"The Master?" He asked, because he had never seen the man before, it looked like no one had. Erza nodded nervously.

"Alright then. Can't you leave? I'm going to change." He explained.

"Yeah!" She said, "I was just… leaving." She then promptly ran into the closed door. "That's a door." She said, and he almost smiled when she left the room. Erza not acting like herself was pretty damn funny. Not that he paid enough attention to her to notice how she normally acts.

Trying not to focus on his nightmare, which always echoed in his head around this time of year, he quickly changed. He kept trying to distract himself with different things, such as the color red, what argument he should start with Natsu next, what he was going to teach Wendy about art, the advice he would give Lucy about Natsu. Strawberry cheesecake, one eye, and it wasn't helping because for whatever reason his mind kept drifting.

_"Please, I'm beggin' you!" _

He shook his head, his eyes meeting their reflection in the mirror propped above Natsu's bed. In those eyes he could almost see her form, her reassuring smile as she turned back to look at him.

_"Please don't cry." _

He quickly exited the room, slamming the door behind him and stalking down the hallway, trying to remember how to get to the headmasters office. Mira had shown him on the first day of school, and he was intending on getting there without any help, seeing Erza had left… probably for her own room.

"Gray?" A sweet voice asked him, and when he turned around Mirajane began to walk towards him. "I'm to pass on a message from the Master."

"Why doesn't he tell me himself?"

"The Master has always been rather withdrawn." Mira said, "Anyways, it appears Natsu and Lucy have snuck off into the woods again. He would like you to collect them."

"Why can't he send someone else?"

"I don't know." Mira smiled, "There's an exit just beyond the tall oak tree, it's a secret tunnel the Master just barely found out about. Please?" She widened her blue eyes, "I don't want to have to send Erza."

Gray shuddered. He may be on okay terms with the redhead, but it didn't mean he wanted Natsu and Lucy to suffer her wrath like he had done so many times already this year.

"Alright, I'll go." He agreed quickly, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

* * *

"I found you two!" Gray exclaimed, placing one hand on each Natsu and Lucy's shoulders. The two guilty parties gave a start and looked up at him fright.

"Hello Gray-" Lucy said nervously, darting away from his grip. "What can I help you with today?" She shiftily avoided his gaze.

"You could come back to the school, so I can get some good points with Mira." He said, raising one eyebrow. The blonde's nervous expression only increased, her fingers picking at the edge of her sweater. He almost wanted to laugh that getting her in trouble could do that to someone… although if possible he was going to angle this so it was al Natsu's fault.

"Oh shut it Ice Brain. Like you're actually gonna do that." Natsu made a face at him, and Gray's eyebrows drew together. Oh he hated that stupid jackass. All he did was get on his nerves- and then Gray wanted to smile (if he still did such things) because he had something over Natsu now.

"I would be treating me with some respect!" He said loudly, "I mean, your fate rests in my hands." He waved his hands around.

"Please let us go." Lucy begged, widening her big brown eyes, a pout appearing on her lips. "C'mon Gray…." So she was trying to manipulate him.

"Don't even-" he began.

"People!" A gasp sounded from behind them, all three of them whirled around, various expressions of surprise escaping from their lips. The voice belonged to a small thin man with an untidy mop of black hair and pinched, unhealthy skin. His clothes were torn, his hands shaking as he extended his arms towards them. "You have to help me."

"Who are you?" Natsu spoke up, stepping in front of Lucy and pushing her gently behind him. Gray stepped up as well, but mostly because he was curious as to why this man was wandering the forest at this time of day.

"My name is Bobo." The man explained, "I come from a village, through the trees." He gestured behind him, to where the trees were so thick you couldn't possibly see between their trunks.

"What do you need help with?" Gray asked, his eyebrows narrowing.

"My town… is being enslaved by a man." The man said quickly, "You have to help, I just escaped." He was clutching a stich in his side, his face, Gray could now see, was drenched in sweat.

"What is the man's name?" Lucy inquired, her face nearly pressed against Natsu's shoulder as she stepped up, although he noted that the pink haired boy didn't seem to push away her attention.

"Deliora." The man panted, "Please- you have to help." Time went still as the name passed through the man's lips, and it did cartwheels in Gray's mind.

_"Deliora was the one who attacked your home town. He was the one who enslaved me- caused so much pain. He's the reason for the darkness in your heart."_

He stepped forward, gripping the man's shirt with his fist and lifting him up by the collar, his navy eyes narrowing, for a moment his strength progressed what was normal capacity for him, anger swelling in his stomach.

"Where is it?" He demanded, his voice hard.

"Gray!" Lucy exclaimed, probably because of his actions, but he ignored her. She surely didn't understand that this was bigger than whatever he did, then her and Natsu's petty problems.

"Up in the trees ahead, on a island in the lake…" The man began, and Gray released him, and turned to the trees ahead of him, his heart beating in his ears. "But I'm the only person who can take you there!" the man said before Gray could run off, "I'm the only one." He repeated.

"Then do your job, and take us there." Gray spat, and Lucy looked at him in horror.

"Gray, what's gotten into you-" She began, but Natsu cut her off by placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"Does this have something to do with why you're at the school?" He inquired, for once not ending the comment with an insult.

Gray simply nodded, and pushed past them all in the direction the man had indicated. Natsu soon followed, and Lucy darted after him. The man, looked up at the little sky you could see between the leaves of the trees.

"Forgive me." He whispered towards some unknown being, "But this has to happen."

* * *

"You're the Master?!" The shocked words came tumbling out of Erza's mouth before she could stop them, and she soon clapped her hand over her mouth, realizing that while he didn't look the part, he was still the person determining most of her life. The man scoffed at her reaction.

"Well I am in this big office aren't I?" He asked, holding his arms out as if to gesture at the richness of the room.

"Yes, I suppose so sir." Erza bowed her head respectively. For whatever reason, the man was bothered by her easy submission; he was visibly clenching his fists as he spoke next.

"Listen, Erza, I have a favor to ask of you." He turned around to his expensive oak desk, running his finger against the fancy plaque with his name carved upon it. His brown eyes didn't leave the surface grainy surface, such as he didn't want to look at Erza and see the weakness she had come to be.

"Anything Master."

"Please," He turned to her again, smoothing back his blonde hair with a tan hand, "Call me Laxus."

"Alright, Laxus. I'll do whatever task you assign me to do."

"I need you to go after three kids who seem to think they can just ditch the school whenever they want. Their names are Natsu, Lucy and Gray." He said, not bothering to mention that he'd already sent Gray after them originally. He had gotten the written instructions from Lis this morning, detailed plans about what their enemy was planning to do. "They should be around this part of the forest." He handed her a map. "Erza I hope I can trust you with this."

"You most certainly can Master."

Erza exited the room, her scarlet hair trailing behind her. He didn't even bother to correct her, it made sense that after the incident she addressed him with respect.

"Relax." Came a sweet voice, and Mira placed a cup of tea in his hand… although he wished It was a good mug of beer. "I'll go take care of announcements." She sashayed out of the office, and he looked after her. _Just another thing that's changed. _

* * *

WHY IS LAXUS THE MASTER? I'm not really sure myself yet… but all will be revealed!

Okay, if you want a song that basically explains this fic (and everything planned for it) That song is totally Into The Fire by Thirteen Senses

Sorry this chappie was…. Bleh. I had extreme issues with how to get them onto the island and rewrote it in like ten different ways, some that didn't even make any sense.

Leave a review… or do really whatever you want I don't mind.


	7. The Wave

"How come the school has never seen this village… if it does exist?" Natsu inquired of the man, who was now leading the way, Gray not far behind. While he didn't seem quite keen on giving them many answers, Bobo seemed to think this simple question was okay for him to give a proper response to.

"The village is hidden by large trees." He explained, "In truth, they probably know about the lake and the island, but think it is uninhabited. The only one who is permitted to leave is Deliora or his personal guard, I barely managed to escape myself."

"You're leaving a lot of unanswered questions." Lucy held up one finger, as if in concentration, her delicate eyebrows furrowed. Gray had noticed she did that a lot when she was thinking, as if that one finger could give her the answers.

Bobo didn't answer that one, instead pushing aside a large hanging branch obscuring their view of up ahead, to reveal the lake.

To say it looked mysterious was an understatement, the blue waters were completely flat, as if no living things had touched the surface in many years. It was such a deep royal blue that it looked almost coloured in by crayons, the color was so absolute. A small beach full of white sand stretched along the entire permitter, although no plants were planted on the soft silty substance. In fact, no plants came within a hundred feet of the lake, as if some deathly curse had been laid upon the waters.

Then came the island, rising up so absurdly in the middle like a great beast. It was basically one hill, but you could not see any of the ground level, save for a strip of beach at the front, as it was so covered by trees. It was easy to see how a small village had been missed, the canopies were so dense you couldn't hope to see anyone. No one could hope to be saved.

Gray caught his breath, his blue eyes closing for the briefest moment before he opened them again. He knew the island of course, having seen it from his Mother's paintings when he was younger, she was was always painting it, as if it's very existence was decided by the swift movements of her brush. He was determined to find Deliora even more now, now that he knew it wasn't a man going by the same name. It couldn't be, not with the addition of the island into play now.

A small boat was docked at the beach, bobbing quietly in the waves. There was something wrong there, Gray thought. Surely if Deliora was so intent on no one escaping, certainly the boat wouldn't be left out in the open. He pushed away the nagging thought, mostly because it was useless. It wouldn't do him any good to question the one man who had brought him to his life's dedication.

"Please, take a seat." The man gestured to the tiny row boat. Gray climbed in at once, sitting on the opposite side the man would be ,and Lucy, seemingly determined to see this one through, fell down into the boat with a bump after him, her vanilla scented hair brushing against his face. Not as pleasant as strawberries. He thought before he could stop himself, and then directed his thoughts from pointless matters onto more focused ones.

"We must be crazy." He heard Lucy murmur under her breath, "Getting into a boat with a complete stranger."

"You know it." Natsu replied quietly, but Gray had a feeling the pink haired boy was more ecstatic about this situation then he let on. Natsu, at least to him, seemed like the type who would jump into any sort of danger no matter what the cost. A bad quality one might say. Gray thought any quality would look bad on Natsu.

"You both don't have to come." He snapped, because it would be simpler if they stayed back.

"We're your friend, Gray." Lucy pressed, "We can't let you go on alone." The blonde girl attempted to look him in the eyes, but he avoided her gaze, he didn't want her to know what he was thinking.

Somehow he seemed to have made another friend, and it wasn't something he wanted necessarily. If he was being honest, he cared about the two people jammed in the rowboat beside him, and he didn't want them to see Deliora. He didn't want them to see the darkness inside him.

Still, he couldn't face it alone he supposed, and since Lyon and Ultear were back in his hometown, Natsu and Lucy would have to suffice.

"Off we go." The man whispered, dipping his oar into the water and pushing off from the bay. The once smooth lake rippled with the force of the small boat, and when Gray looked down, he could see his own distorted reflection, his own blue eyes glaring back at him. He couldn't see her smiling face in his eyes anymore that space was instead taken up by a steely determination to win this time. "I hope you should know," The man began, "This island is cursed. If Deliora catches you, he will keep you here for the rest of your lives."

He heard Lucy let loose a squeak of fear, but it seemed to energise Natsu.

"I'm all fired up." He said, and Gray almost wanted to mock him for his comment, but something about it made him feel like anything was possible… although he couldn't put his finger on why it made him feel that way.

"I'm glad." The man whispered, and for whatever reason, whether it was the spray from the lake getting in their eyes (Lucy), or looking at Lucy to closely (Natsu), or simply because he wanted to (Gray), they all shut their eyes at once. And when they opened them, the man was gone.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Lucy screamed, her brown eyes frantically darting back and forth.

"We have bigger problems." Natsu said in a tiny voice, his finger pointing behind them. Both Lucy and Gray whirled around to see a colossal wave coming towards them, something that certainly shouldn't be possible in a lake. Especially a lake that was still a moment ago.

It hit their rowboat and sent it spiralling, all three of them screaming and clutching to the sides as if it could save them, but the weak wood splintered apart at the mercy of the wave and suddenly they found themselves inside the wave itself, caught in it's grasp.

Gray tried to fight his way to the surface, he already had no air in his lungs. A flash of blonde shot past him and he grabbed a handful of Lucy's hair and pulled her towards him, she was unconscious, air bubbles flying out of her mouth. He wrapped both his arms around her waist and kicked towards the surface, but the water sent them both shooting towards the island, until it spit them up onto the shore.

Gray coughed for air, water trickling out of his mouth, his chest heaving. Lucy coughed, water spurting out of her own mouth, and he turned towards her with a relieved nod of his head.

"Nat-su." The blonde croaked, struggling to her feet and pushing her blonde hair back. "Where is he?"

"What the hell happened?" The sand beneath Gray twitched, and he let out a cry, rolling to the side as a sand covered wet Natsu sat up. "You were sitting on me!" he accused Gray, his eyes narrowing into slits.

"Your own fault flame ass." Gray rubbed his forehead.

"Whatever Pervert."

"You wanna go?"

"Will you two shut up already!" Lucy screeched, stepping in-between the two with her palms outstretched. "Where's the village?" Gray turned to look at the trees, but they were so dense he couldn't imagine any one living in them like Bobo had stated.

"The more important question is; where did Bobo go?" Natsu inquired of the pair, shaking his head so the sand would fall out of his hair.

"He just disappeared." Lucy murmured, turning back to the lake with a look of concentration on her face. "Maybe he saw the wave coming before we did and jumped ship? But how did the wave get there in the first place?"

"Whatever it is, I don't care." Gray snapped. Despite the fact he had saved Lucy, the sight of the trees, the sand, everything, reminded him of the reason why he didn't let himself get close to people. Especially not people like Natsu and Lucy, who probably had just as twisted back-stories as he did, who might actually know what he was feeling. Still, that made it easier for them to get all the more closer to him, until the moment where he could possibly place his life in their hands. He couldn't allow that to happen. "Let's just find this damn village."

He started towards the trees, his feet crunching over the sand. Bobo said that they should be through the trees, so therefore that was where he would look first.

* * *

Erza did not have an easy passage to the island like the others. Luckily for her, she stumbled upon the lake by accident, the result of falling down the hill like an idiot. She wasn't used to the rough terrain, and her usual graceful feet were failing her in their mission.

The lake glittered like a coin, flat and smooth, save a tiny brown boat floating on it's surface. Erza closed her eye (probably at the same time that Natsu, Gray and Lucy did) mostly because a bug flew into them. When she opened them, a huge roaring blue wave was in front of her, something that shouldn't be possible. It couldn't be possible, waves like that weren't created by a lake. When the lake settled down, splashing against the island, Erza thought she caught sight of a blue haired woman, but she blinked and the woman was gone, evidentially a piece of her imagination.

She squinted into the distance, trying to see the shore of the island to see if the people who owned the row boat were washed up onto the shore. Three sprawled figures soon stood up, and even from this distance she could see the black, pink, and blonde colors of their hair. _What are they doing?_ She fumed to herself, _breaking the rules to get shipwrecked on some island._

She looked around on the small beach she was standing on, trying to find something she could use to get to the island. There was absolutely nothing, save for a few twigs and one log. Her eyebrows narrowed when she looked back and saw them retreating into the forest on the island, she had to go now or she'd lose them.

Seeing no other alternative, she stripped off her sweater (but of course she had a tank top underneath) and rolled up the legs on her pants, ditching her shoes. She'd come back for all of them later. Then, taking a deep breath, she took a deep breath and dove into the water, heading for the island.

* * *

It wasn't what Gray suspected, the village was simply shielded by only a couple of dense trees, and was in fact right off the beach. He thought it would be farther away, but was happy to be proven wrong. He didn't want to waste his energy trying to find it, when he needed to be saving it for something else.

"Gray, put back on your shirt." Lucy hissed, and he looked at her in confusion. "We need to blend in as best we can if we're going to do this like ninjas."

"Ninjas?" Natsu demanded, a delighted smile lighting up his face as he lifted his scarf to his mouth and wrapped it around his face, "I can be ninja." He whispered.

"It's 'I can be a ninja'." Lucy corrected him, sighing at his poor grammar use. Gray ignored them both but lifted the fallen shirt over his head, wishing it wasn't quite so wet and clingy.

"Who're you?" A small voice demanded, and all three of them turned around at once, panic setting in their stomachs. They hadn't even entered the village and yet they were already caught. A small girl, perhaps six stood behind them, a woven basket full of herbs in her arms. She had tiny blonde pig tails, large blue eyes,and her small face looked hungry and pinched. "Are you here to save us?" She asked, her smile big enough to shock the sun. "Did my Momma send ya?"

"Who's your Mother?" Lucy asked carefully, kneeling down beside the small child.

"Mary Ann Wilkins!" the girl stated proudly, "She weren't with me when I went exploring this place, so she is safe!" Gray realised about the same time that the others did. _If Deliora catches you, he will keep you here for the rest of your lives._

Who knows how long the little girl had been away from her Mother, caught on the island and forced to live here, who knows what sort of horrors she'd experienced. Somehow Gray realised then, that he wasn't going to stop trying to free these people until he died, or they were back with their families. Who knew who else had wandered onto the island (perhaps led here by Bobo) and forced to remain on its shores? All because of Deliora.

"We're here to save you." Gray assured her, bending down next to Lucy to place his hand on her tiny shoulder. "I promise."

"Lemme take you to Ms. Heidi then!" the little girl smiled and skipped towards the village. She turned back and shot them a grin. "It doesn't matter being Ninja. He already knows you're here."

"What?" Lucy asked, looking quite alarmed.

"Bobo tricked us." Gray said, because it was all becoming so very clear now, "We were watched from the moment we set foot on this island." Lucy shivered.

"But we'll find a way off right?" She questioned.

"Maybe." Gray replied, and followed the girl into the village.

The village was a collection of brown tents, the roofs poorly made… like something from movies. The streets were dirt, everything startlingly looked like it belonged from times hundreds of years back. People looked up at them, their eyes wide and curious. Nobody looked happy, their faces pale and stretched, their eyes empty. It was scary.

"Miss Heidi!" The little girl stopped at the last hut, which left Gray wondering where Deliora stayed. He certainly wouldn't stay somewhere so… low class. "I brought the new comers like you asked!"

"Oh, very good Penny." A motherly looking woman with lots of brown stingy hair turned around when the girl spoke. She had a very plain face, her brown eyes dead like everyone else's. "There's another one."

"Another person has come to the island?" Lucy questioned, her brown eyes wide.

"Yes, The Master's men just reported. Scarlet hair they said, swimming here of all things."

Gray froze. His thoughts began to do cartwheels, his body immobilized as he realized the one person Heidi could mean. _Not her_, he begged anybody, anything, _anyone but her._

"Shall I fetch her Miss?" Penny asked in her small cute voice, setting her basket on the ground.

"You know her don't you?" Heidi questioned the three. Natsu was the one who nodded in reply. "Yes please, Penny." Heidi instructed, and the little girl ran off again.

"Will someone explain to me what the hells going on?!" Lucy looked like she was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Her brown eyes were much to large for her face, her lips set in a straight line and her eyebrows drawn downwards. Her whole body was quivering, like she was afraid.

"Calm down, child." Heidi spoke. "There is no use telling you three until your comrade gets here. You're not running short on time, none of us are. So relax." While her tone was motherly, Gray felt like she was rather exasperated with this conversation, like she'd had it many times before. "I've been here for the past twenty years, and believe me, while I'm sure you promised little Penny what everyone promises her, you have no more a chance of getting off this island than I do. People have tried to escape countless times, it simply doesn't happen."

"Bobo escaped." Lucy protested. Heidi's eyebrows narrowed.

"So he fed you the same shit he feeds everyone else. That's what happens when Deliora gets angry after all, he wants more people in his town to do his work for him. So what does he do? Lures souls like you in with a man like Bobo, claiming to be in search of help, and foolish idiots like you believe him." Heidi's face was red at the end of her sentence, and she quickly turned her flushed cheeks away from them.

The interior of the hut was not much fancier than the outside, two flat cotton bed rolls were stretched out on the floor, and a large pot was simmering over an open flame, the smoke rising through a gap in the ceiling. There was nothing about it to suggest that a little girl might live here, no dolls or princess posters, no sign of personality. It was like they had moved back in time to a place where technology and freedom didn't exist, where some evil lord ruled over them all, forcing them to do his bidding. That stuff usually only happened in fairy tales.

Gray watched his comrades for a moment, noticing their behaviours, trying to decide if they were frightened at the possibility of spending the rest of their lives here. Natsu looked like he was in Mathematics class, his eyes glazed over as they stared at the fire, his hand reaching up to scratch occasionally at various parts of his body. His body was still rather sandy, but he didn't look uncomfortable... just like he always did. Like he wasn't covered in gritty sand and the threat of living here all his life wasn't hanging over his head.

Lucy looked a little more nervous. While she had stopped her shaking, her large brown eyes flitted back and forth, a dirty hand twirling a strand of gold, while her teeth gnawed at her lips. Still, she wasn't crying or making a fuss, just quietly waiting for their explanation with the arrival of Erza.

For a moment Gray contemplated his own feelings, wondering why the thought of living here didn't scare him. He considered the notion that to him this was simply a punishment for things that had happened in the past, that his subconsious knew this was his path, and that perhaps this was the way he would live out his days, or how he would die. Either way, he wasn't afraid. As long as he got to kill the man that had ruined his life.

Just then, while he was lost in his thoughts, Penny skipped through the tent again. Gray, Natsu, and Lucy's heads all shot up, their eyes boring into the doorway, waiting for her to step through.

As soon as she did, the teenage boy part of Gray's brain took over. NO HE WAS NOT A PERVERT DESPITE HIS STRIPPING HABIT! He was simply distracted from his mission for a few mere moments when, quite like a super model, Erza Scarlet stepped in.

It was like something from a shampoo commercial, her long scarlet hair was soaked, clinging to her neck and forehead delicately, each strand clumped together perfectly. Her brown eyes were blinking rapidly, as if getting used to the lighting distance, and with every bat of her eyelash he could practically see the drops from the lake splattering off of them. That wasn't what distracted him from his mission temporarily however. You see, he had only seen Erza wearing very loose tops and pants before. Now, she was wearing a tight tank top which clung to her like a second skin, showing off all of her curves. Not to mention, when her eyes locked with his, a warm familiar brown, he almost felt relieved. He almost forgot why he was here for a her eye narrowed down into a glare.

He remembered why he was here. That moment of relief flew out through the door, replaced by a hard anger, directed towards her. Why had she, of all people, decided to come after them? Why couldn't someone else?

"Penny told me you were going to explain somethings to us." Erza didn't even look at the others, but kept her one eyed gaze locked with his. She reached up a hand, her bangs still irritatingly covering one side of her face, and removed something white and cotton from behind her curtain of hair, flinging it to the ground.

"I will now." Heidi spoke up for the first time in several minutes. "Now for most of you, I believe you were led here by a man named Bobo," there were several nods in agreement. "That man works for the Master of this place, a man named Deliora."

"Deliora?" Erza questioned, her one eye widening in surprise. Gray looked away then, only now the eye contact was making him uncomfortable.

"Yes. Deliora started out as a neurosurgeon, working somewhere in the North. He had a... disorder that caused him to lose control and turn into an awful man who would hurt people for fun. He hated that part of himself, and he strived to fix the part of his brain that had that disability. He was coming close to the answers when someone from the government knocked on the door, claiming to have some sort of instant cure. Deliora, desperate to fix this part of himself took it eagerly... but it turned him into a monster permanently. He was given this island by the government, and every once and a while they send people his way to torture so he doesn't attack the citizens of this country. Without us, without his play toys, he would most likely destroy the nearest town, as he did with so many others before they contained him on this island. That's why you're here, that's why Penny's here, that's why I'm here."

"Can't you give any more information?" Lucy begged, "Anybody who escaped?"

"There was one." Heidi said, but her eyes grew sad. "Deliora found out. He went berserk, attacking the town where she was with her family-"

"That's enough." Gray snapped, his voice coming out brutal. "That woman lived many years outside this island. It wasn't her fault that he attacked the town. Don't even suggest that."

"I don't care about any of this." Erza suddenly spoke up. "We could get back to the school- perhaps notify the authorities- or if it's safer for everyone, leave it a secret."

"So abandon everyone?" Gray asked her, whirling around.

"You're breaking school rules by being out here." Erza snapped right back, "The Master sent me to collect you and so I will."

"Can anything get behind that thick skull of yours?" Gray asked her, stepping right up so he was inches away from his face. "We can't leave unless we defeat him. He'll always find us."

"Well maybe none of this wouldn't happen if that woman had reported it when she escaped-" Erza broke off for a moment, her eye shutting. "Oh..." She trailed off. "She was your Mother."

"A+ for the genius over here!" Gray spit out.

"You're Ul's son?" Heidi asked, and for the first time, something like hope raised in her voice.

"Yes." Gray spoke carefully, but didn't look away from Erza.

"What happened- I mean- how did she die?"

"Listen, if the bastard doesn't want to talk about it I understand-" Natsu began, speaking up for the first time. (HOW THE HECK DID I FORGET ABOUT NATSU?!)

"Fine. I'll tell you." Gray whispered, his eyes shutting for the briefest moment as he moved away from Erza, their moment passing. "It was ten years ago..."

I cannot believe I actually had time to finish this chappie. I SERIOUSLY HATE SCHOOL.

Anyways, tell me your opinions, and next chapter will have RoWen I promise. And maybe NaLu and GrayZa.


	8. Ninjas!

**WARNING: If you have any triggers towards suicide situations, skip the part in italics please. The rest of the chapter should be alright. **

** SORRY FOR THE STUPID TYPOS LAST CHAPTER UGH IT RANDOMLY DELETED WORDS WHEN I COPIED AND PASTED**

**ALSO THE LINE BREAK IS GONE SO WHERE IT SAYS **(Line Break) It's a... well line break.

"It started around ten years ago…" Gray trailed off for a moment, stepping over to the tent flap so he could see the sad village beyond. He shut his eyes tightly, taking a deep breath before continuing. "But I suppose it was little earlier than that. This man, this _Deliora_, attacked my hometown when I was five. He was intent on leaving no survivors, so he bombed the entire place. I was the only survivor. A woman named Ur and her son and daughter found me, barely alive, trapped underneath a pile of rubble. Ur took me in like I was one of her own, raised me in a way I suppose you could say. She was the one who taught me how to create art. I was so angry though, even after three years had passed. I wanted Deliora's head. I made a vow to never rest until his face was under my boot, and I was the one raising the knife above my head and bringing it down. When I confessed this to Ur, she decided that they should take a family vacation… which is where she died… because Deliora came to visit."

_ Screams filled the air, and people pushed passed him, heading in the opposite direction, they weren't running towards the source, but away from it. He pushed past them, even though he was a little boy he still possessed much strength. . Tears were starting to gather in his eyes, but mostly from the soot gathering in the air. He knew for a fact who was behind this. He would kill him this time. He wasn't afraid. Not anymore. _

_ "Gray!" A desperate voice filled his ears, but he didn't turn around. As much as he loved her, he didn't turn around. He could picture her perfectly though, a slim spot in the darkness, her arms wrapped protectively around Lyon and Ultear, trying to prevent them from following him also. The screams rang through the streets, gunshots ringing, and bombs exploding. The town was dying. "Come back! You don't stand a chance!" _

_ "I have to do this!" He screamed in reply, and he didn't turn around. Oh, how he wished he turned around._

_ He trudged on. His small tennis shoes turned black from the soot in the air, his face a mess of gray with a few clean streaks where tears had run down. _

_ Deliora seemed to be waiting for him, or perhaps he was simply watching the crowds run away in delight, happy at his genius plans to cause destruction. _

_ He was a black shadow, silhouetted against the smoky sky. He was the only one not running from the fires that had started to take over the city, instead standing with them at his back, his ugly face contorted with delight. At the sight of Gray he let out a cackling laugh._

_ "A little boy?" He cackled, "Have you lost your Mummy?" _

_ "You're going to pay Deliora!" Gray shouted, although his voice trembled and shook from exertion. He was only eight years old after all. Most young boys were supposed to be playing battles, not participating in them. _

_ "Pay? For what exactly? It seems like the majority of people here have survived. That's a record for me." The man twirled a knife in his fingers, "I think only… a dozen or so died?"_

_ "You killed my parents!" Gray hollered, and threw himself at the big man. It was futile; such small fists could never knock down someone Deliora's size. The man simply raised an arm and Gray went shooting back, hitting hard against the cement. Not before he gripped Gray's wrist however. _

_ "Foolish boy." Deliora spat, "I was going to spare your life… Not anymore." The man took the long knife in his hands, and stepped over to where Gray lay, temporarily immobilized. He kicked him swiftly in the side, and the boy gasped for air, clutching at his stomach. _

_ "Step away from him!" A woman's voice screamed. Ur. Her arms were sliding under his armpits in an instant, tugging him out of reach of the blade. It hit the ground with a dull thud, the metal shining in the light. "It's okay now." Ur held Gray to her chest as he sobbed. He inhaled her scent, clinging to her coat. He was instantly regretting every decision he'd ever made, and all he really knew was the feeling of her arms around him._

_ "It was no use," He cried, "I never could defeat him."_

_ "It's alright. Everything's okay now. BECAUSE I'M THE ONE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR?!" Ur suddenly threw Gray behind her, and the only think stopping him from hitting the cement was Lyon's sudden arrival, catching his adoptive brother easily and efficiently. "Aren't I?" She finished in a lower tone, her arms outstretched as to block her children from the man before them. _

_ "What's Mom talking about?" Ultear ran up beside them, her large violet eyes wide as she knelt beside Gray, her small slim fingers prodding at his head to assess the damage. _

_ "Ur." The man sighed in relief, "I am so glad to see you." He growled slightly. "You are my missing puzzle piece. I am so excited for you to join me once more." _

_ "Don't lie Deliora. What do you want from me?"_

_ "While I am glad you have kept my secret for as long as you have, I'm afraid that time is over." The man sneered. "I've planted a small explosive on the boy's arm. Unless you die, it will detonate, effectively killing him." _

_ "What?" Gray glanced down, and saw that what the man was saying was true. There was a small black robotic device digging into his skin, and it was only the shock that had prevented the pain from coursing through his body as blood dripped gorily down his arm. _

_Lyon and Ultear backed up from him at once, their small bodies trembling with fear. Gray didn't blame them, if he could back away too he would._

_ "And you want me to kill myself." Ur whispered, sliding her eyes shut for a mere moment. She turned back to look at Gray, and he could see what she was going to do in the apologetic shine of her eyes. She wasn't even trying to fight it. "You've always liked a show." _

_ "MOM NO!" He shrieked, and she smiled bitterly._

_ "That's the first time you've called me Mom." She murmured, bending down to pick up the fallen knife from the ground. _

_ "Please, I'm beggin' you!" He screamed, and his cries mingled with Lyon and Ultear's. _

_ "Give me your word." Ur turned towards the man. "You'll retreat from this city and leave my children alone." _

_ "You know I am a man of my word." Deliora said, "and the secret rests with you."_

_ "I promise I'll do whatever you me to do from now on!" Gray cried, tears spilling from his eyes and splattering against the pavement. _

_ "Please don't cry." She whispered, "I'm freeing you from the darkness Gray." She raised the knife, and plunged it into her chest. _

Erza watched Gray's face as he finished his story. She was looking at him with a new eye, an eye she never had set upon him before. She didn't realize before now that she had always thought of him as some spoiled kid with a perfect life that simply liked to rebel, that Deliora was simply a made up horror, something that went 'boo' in the night. She thought no one's story could compare to hers, that everyone else's were weak meaningless declarations of a sad life. Gray's however, was worse than her past.

He watched his Mother die before his very eyes, and that was something you could never forget. Especially if, in some way, it was your fault. Her hand went out to place itself on his shoulder, and she was considering pushing aside her hair and showing him her bad eye. She felt like he had just exposed a deep wound to her, something that couldn't be healed easily. She almost wanted to share her own story with him, but now wasn't the time.

Gray didn't shrug away her hand; instead he seemed to lean into it, his breathing harsh. No one spoke, not even Heidi who seemed to be friends with his adoptive Mother when she lived in the village.

"She died because of me." Gray said, "And that day, I swore to wipe out Deliora if I ever got the chance."

"Well then, let's storm the castle!" Natsu shouted, breaking the silence by pumping his fist in the air.

"We need to plan first." Lucy scolded him lightly by tapping him on the head with her palm. Erza noticed the changed relationship between them at once, but pushed it to the back of her mind to be debated on later.

"How do you suggest we accomplish this?" She suggested, although she didn't remove her hand from his shoulder. Erza had the strangest urge to hug the boy, wrap her arms around him and press her face into his neck. She refrained from that new desire. Touching at all (rather than her beating him up) was new to them.

"I can help." Heidi surprised them all by speaking up, "If you really are Ur's son."

"Why would I lie?" Gray questioned, his voice hard and defensive. Erza tightened her grip a fraction, making him wince slightly. She knew this was hard for him, but their best chance was being polite to this woman.

"You could be one of his henchmen." Heidi said simply, "But I've got nothing to lose. Not anymore." There was a moment of silence, in which everyone mused their own thoughts and ideas.

"We could be ninjas!" Natsu suggested, rather anticlimactically. Everyone simply turned their heads and stared at him. It was the most ridiculous thing yet, and Erza almost laughed. Trust Natsu to say something like that.

"That's actually brilliant Natsu!" Lucy suddenly exclaimed in a bright voice, and their stares turned to her. Lucy blushed under their intense looks, fidgeting slightly.

"Care to explain?" Gray asked her, and Erza noticed that he had very emotional eyebrows. He moved them a lot to put that in simpler words and- she cut off those thoughts. She did get rather distracted sometimes, and there were things way more important that Gray's eyebrows for god's sake!

"Haven't you seen those movies," Lucy began, which wasn't a very encouraging start. "Where they steal the uniforms from the guards and sneak right in, pull some ninja moves and defeat the bad guys?"

They all kept quiet for a moment, as if thinking the idea through. After Natsu's rather depressing contribute, it was a bit of a shock to see what Lucy had spun off of it. She definitely had quite the imagination for these sort of things.

"That could work…" Gray trailed off. Erza nodded thoughtfully, her hand moving from Gray's shoulder to her mouth. Her teeth chewed at the fingernails there, something she hadn't done in a long time.

"Deliora has no woman guards." Heidi put in. Penny, who was sitting on the floor, looked up at them all in amazement. "But… I could dress you up as common villagers to deliver the newest records." While Erza had no idea what these records were, she only nodded.

"Are you really going to save us?" Penny asked. Erza glanced down at the small child, who had her tiny arms wrapped around her knees. Her blue eyes seemed too large for her face, and Erza was instantly reminded of herself. To fragile for her own good.

"Yes." She said firmly, her face set in a determined line. "So we knock out some guards, take their uniforms, hiding their bodies of course, Lucy and I go in as local villagers and take a good look around at the place. When we've mapped out escape routes and what not, we'll come and find you. Gray and Natsu will then sneak into where Deliora is staying as guards, and take him out." She put together the details effortlessly, the plan sliding into her mind like she was born with it. Still, she didn't dwell too much on that fact, instead glancing at everyone's faces to get their approval. Gray was staring at her with wide eyes, his mouth closed tightly. Still, it was the only time he'd ever looked at her like that- with his blue eyes curiously inspecting her. It made a heated blush rise to her cheeks, and she turned away self-consciously.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"That was brilliant!" Lucy squealed.

"I get to kick some ass!" Natsu said next, pumping his fist in the air again.

"It will work." Gray said, but his voice cracked. She turned around, and saw that he was blushing also, his eyes avoiding looking at her face. She shook her head firmly; she did not know why they were all of the sudden acting so odd around each other.

"Then let's get started." Heidi finished.

(Line Break)

"Can you breathe a little quieter asshole?" Gray hissed behind him, his blue eyes flashing dangerously as he set his sights upon the offending teenage boy. Natsu simply made a face at him, but his breathing sounded less like a dog on a hot summer day and more like a quiet cat since Gray's comment.

They had picked out their targets as soon as Lucy and Erza kicked them out of the tent because they were going to get changed. The two young men were strolling out of the village, their loud jubilant voices enough to make anyone want to hurt them. Anyone that happy should not be allowed in a place like this… at least without trying to help the suffering people.

They had been following them in the forest for around thirty minutes now, the men's voices to loud to notice they were being followed. Gray was planning on taking them out as soon as the moment was ready, but he could tell Natsu's patience was growing thinner by the minute. The pink haired boy had resorted to flicking his fingers together, a menacing look on his face. He didn't want Natsu to blow their fucking cover before he was ready.

Gray angrily sighed, deciding on the spot that it was better to get it over with now. "Three, two one." He whispered to Natsu, holding up three fingers to symbolize.

Natsu leapt out of their hiding space with a war cry, probably alerting everyone in the area to their presence. Gray soon followed suit, only to watch Natsu firmly grip the two boys's helmet together and slammed their heads together. The boys fell to the ground, knocked unconscious. Natsu grinned, his white teeth looking startlingly sharp in the light filtering in from the trees.

(Line Break)

"Are you sure this is the right entrance?" Natsu prodded Gray, his voice curious.

"It should be." Gray hissed back, as they stepped into the castle with much clanking from their uniforms. The outfits were very out of fashion, like something from the middle ages instead of the modern day. They were made of a tough metal, covered with bright red cloth.

"We were supposed to wait for Erza and Lucy."

"I know the plan dumb ass. It was mostly so they would be safe."

"You don't care about my safety?"

"Why the hell would I?"

The hall was stark. Not a single decoration lay upon the black walls, although they could hear legions of marching feet stomping past. How many guards did Deliora have?

Gray pulled his helmet down so it was covering his face more, aware of the fact that Natsu's hair was like a beacon (peeping out from the edges) and a total give away. Not to mention he wouldn't take off the bloody scarf he always wore. They were goners.

"Unfortunately for you brother of mine, you guessed wrong." A voice spoke from behind them. Gray whirled around, his mind going blank from shock. Lyon was standing there, bold as brass, his silver hair glinting in the dim light filtering from outside. "This is not in fact the guards hall."

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Gray suddenly hollered, his brain processing the fact that his older brother was wearing fancy clothes meant for a lead guard, his whole body shoving forward to knock him to the ground.

(Line Break)

Wendy chucked a very heavy binder at the wall. It wasn't an easy task; it took almost all of her strength just to pick it up and throw it as hard as she could. Fortunately for the wall, it hit it with a dull thud and flopped back onto the ground. Wendy's brown eyes flickered around her dorm room to look for another thing of hers to throw around, her frustration swelling in her stomach.

_Natsu Dragneel, Lucy Heartfilia, Gray Fullbuster, and Erza Scarlet are now reported missing. _ The words bounced around the bluenettes brain like basketballs, her whole head pounding from the effort not to cry. She didn't know why Natsu had to keep doing things like this, why he had to keep leaving her in the oddest situations, only to turn up with a half baked apology and some random story.

"Wendy? I heard something crash-" The door was forcibly pushed open from the outside, the lock breaking free. Wendy glared at the intruder, it didn't matter if he was her best friend, she wasn't interested in his sympathy. "Sorry!" The Conbolt held up his hands in defense, nearly visibly sweating.

Wendy turned her back on him, her entire body quivering. She expected Romeo to leave, go back to his own happy life. He was only in this school after all because of his Father's position; it wasn't like he was messed up like she was-

Romeo's arms wrapped around her from behind. He turned her body around so she was facing him, and then shoved her head as carefully as he could into his shoulder. She hadn't realized this was what she needed until now, silent tears running down her face. Her vocal cords quivered for a moment as if ready to release some sort of sound, but they soon failed her and that only made the tears flow faster. Romeo's hand began to move through her hair gently, more gentle than she ever thought he could be.

"You know Natsu," He whispered, "He'll be back in no time.

(Line Break)

Ultear Milovich's fingers flew across the keyboard (a new invention since the incident) trying to quickly type a reply to Lisanna. Her black hair swung forward to cover her face as she concentrated, her teeth biting her lip.

She was angry as she sat back, resetting the computer as the message sent, slamming the laptop shut. She stood up from her desk, closing her violet eyes as she contemplated what was the best action to perform now.

She was supposed to be the one running this operation, and yet that stuck up take over mage just had to send Gray. _Gray. _The name whispered at her from her memory, but she shook it away. Her eyelids fell shut to a great relief. They felt like lead weights. Oh, she was so tired. She wished she could finally move on at last.

Her eyes flew open again, her milky white palms moving to rub at them. There was no time for that. She had just sent Lyon to bring Gray to her, if Lisanna was going to play him into her hands then she might as well use him.

(Line Break)

Okay, so I hope everything makes sense to someone other than me ;)

Well, makes sense to a point. I could really use a beta for this story if anyone is interested.

To address a question that popped up in several of the reviews, THIS STORY WILL BE REALLY LONG. It is not ending anytime soon. In fact, right now I'm planning (Not writing) the second part to this story, which will either be called Ready, Aim, Fire or Losing Control .

Another question is if I will be doing all the arcs. NO. I think this one, and one other will be the only ones I remake… sorta.

I will finish both parts eventually, and I hope you all decide to review, because I occasionally get really awesome idea from your comments.

Thank you to IcePrinceRay, Epicocity, xXChiasaHimuraXx, and Yuki Loxar for reviewing almost every single chapter.

And I seriously saw one of my favorite GrayZa authors favorite this story and I nearly died. Thank you Girl with Life Full of Anime!


	9. Trust

THANK YOU TO EPICOCITY FOR BEING MY AMAZING BETA!

...

Gray landed squarely on top of Lyon (thank you self defense class) knocking the silver haired boy roughly to the cold stone ground. His vison going red, he roped his hands around his brother's neck, cutting off his air. Before he could do much else, a hand gripped the back of his guards uniform and hauled him upright, off of his adoptive brother.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ultear hissed in his face, shoving him into the nearby wall. "Is that how you treat family?" He regarded her, as her nails bit into his shoulders and kept him restrained . Her dark hair tickled his face as she heavily exhaled. "This is not the place." She finally said. "Follow me."

Natsu looked skeptically at her, his pink eyebrows drawing together. "I don't think so." The boy stated, shaking his head.

"Natsu's right," Gray agreed. "Why the hell should I trust you?"

"Maybe because I'm your sister?" Ultear questioned, her violet eyes narrowing at him. "I do care about you Gray."

"Like that has stopped from anything in the past."

"Why don't you give a chance to explain bastard." Lyon coughed out, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he stood up from the ground.

"Listen Gray," Ultear commanded, releasing her grip on him. "We haven't been the best siblings these past years for a reason." She explained quickly, her voice a low pitch. "Lyon and I have been tracking down Deliora for years now. We didn't tell you because we knew that you'd get way to involved, to involved for your own good. Mom wouldn't have wanted it that way."

"And how was that _your_ decision?" Gray demanded, keeping his voice as low as he possibly could while expressing his anger within. "Because don't _I_ get a say at all? It's my life you're deciding here."

"Show a little gratitude. We did this for you you know." Lyon spat.

"How the hell was this for me?" Gray's voice was quivering. "You know how much I wanted to find him! You knew and didn't tell me! How's that for family?"

"That's exactly _why_ we didn't tell you," Ultear sounded exactly like a Mother, crossing her arms across her chest and frowning at him. "You would have given up everything to find him, kill him. I didn't want that on your soul… any death at all." Her voice cracked as she spoke, almost as if she knew what it felt like to kill someone.

"Why are you his guards then?" Natsu finally spoke up, his onyx eyes looking at them all with mistrust… even Gray.

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Lyon spoke smoothly, his eyes glinting. "We planned to take a slower approach, but since you barged in—I suppose we could act now."

"Trust us Gray," Ultear spoke in such a way that it reminded him of his Mother, "We want the same thing as you two." Gray stared into her eyes for a moment, her face so like his Mothers, and decided to believe them. Not exactly because anything they said was plausible, but because he could see in their eyes that they were doing this for Ur.

"We already hopefuly have two people in the building…" Gray trailed off, realising that they rather abandoned Erza's orginal plan.

"What is it?" Ultear questioned, sensing his distress, but Gray shook his head. He couldn't find the words to describe the wrath of Erza they would soon endure if she found him.

...

"This dress is so tight," Erza whispered, "I feel like everyone is looking at me." She added in an undertone to Lucy. They were squished between four guards, who were taking great pride in delivering them to their master.

Erza Scarlet was not one to wear tight clothes, preferring to keep herself as covered as possible. This villager dress obviously belonged to someone smaller than her, as it clung to her curves, so tight she almost felt like she was wearing nothing but a bra and panties, even though technically most of her skin was covered.

Lucy however, while still uncomfortable, fidgited less. "We're almost there." She murmered in reassurance to the redhead, her fingers playing with a strand of her blonde hair, while the other hand clutched the papers they were delivering with a desprate need. Erza had glanced briefly at the papers back at Heidi's, and saw that they were records of how many villagers were in town, and what their health was like, whether they were fit to work or fit to lay in bed shivering with fevers. She was utterly disgusted to find that the sick had an X over their names, and the words "To be executed" because obviously Deliora thought that if you couldn't work, you didn't deserve to live.

"Sir Lyon, may I request information on to why you are heading down that hall?" The guard on her left inquired to a man behind her, and Erza stood on her tiptoes, peering over their heads to get a better look.

"The Lady Ultear requested I venture down this hall, to aide a suspsion of hers." An arrogant voice stated, and Erza caught sight of a brief glimpse of silver hair. "You know my sister."

The man laughed. "The Lady, while beautiful is rather suspisous." The guards continued their march, and the names 'Lyon' and 'Ultear' hovered in Erza's mind, making her wonder who they were talking about. She had heard those names before…

They were approaching an impressive set of metal doors, adorned with metal flowers and small cresent moons.

"Step inside please." The guards instructed, and Erza and Lucy obeyed, slipping through into the room beyond.

While the rest of the castle was a deep black with no decorations, a blank landscape one could say, this room was exatravangant. The walls were decorated with fancy tapestries depicting scenes from battles, the floors a beautiful pale wood. The room was almost empty of all furniture save for a large gem encrusted throne which raised up from the middle of the floor. Large windows, at ground level Erza noted, were covered by blue curtains, with no guards.

Everything was beautiful, save for the man sitting in the throne. He had greasy black hair that was slicked into spikes. His eyes were onyx, and narrowed in distaste, a smirk filling his face as he observed the two girls. His biceps were large, the muscles larger than his head. He looked oddly disproportional, and almost hurt to look at.

_So this was who ruined Gray's life. _ Erza thought murderously, anger filling ever inch of her body so she almost trembled. Gray's dark blue eyes were in her mind, the way the silvery tears had sprung up at word of his Mother. The reason why she was his first friend, why he hated his family, everything wrong in his life was smirking right in front of her. It was almost enough to make her want to spring at him and rip his head off with her bare hands.

"What are you two ladies doing here? I don't think I've seen you here before." The man spoke in a slithery voice, his eyes resting upon them and making Erza feel even angrier.

"We have brought the records sir. And we're newcomers to the village." Lucy spoke for the both of them, and Erza could see her brown eyes flitting around the room, doing what they were actually supposed to be doing, instead of being distracted with thoughts of revenge.

"What are your names?"

"Erza Fullbuster." Erza said, and realizing her blunder she began to blush a furious red as Lucy glanced at her skeptically.

"Lucy Dragneel." Lucy stated, and went equally red. So they both were fucking idiots then.

"Fullbuster." The man said, letting the word slide over his tongue. "Sounds familiar." He shrugs, "Doesn't matter. Give me the records."

Lucy stepped forward and handed the folder they were instructed to bring. Deliora took it, but his hand lingered on the blondes with a gross perverted nature. Lucy was quick to snatch her hand back.

"Thank you sir." Erza said quickly, backing out of the room. If they were to confront Deliora here, it most certainly wouldn't end well.

"I might call you both back here sometime soon. Watch for my guards." Deliora said, and Erza was thoroughly disgusted.

The guards provided some distance from them when they exited, more relaxed around the two girls than before. Erza's mind was focused on what she had barely observed in the room… and that was the fact that the windows were their best chance of survival, but judging by the lack of guards around them, they were made of a tough material they most likely couldn't break through.

It was then she heard a familiar low voice that she could hear from quite a distance away. He was arguing, and she automatically knew that the two assholes didn't follow her plan. Figuring it was all over now; she brought out her fighting skills.

With a sharp kick she aimed her foot at the person in front of hers head, her boot connecting with his head hard. He crumpled, and automatically the guards around them pulled out their swords. Erza cocked her head for only a minute, her eyes narrowing as she determined how to best take them out.

"GET DOWN LUCY!" She shouted, and the blonde pressed flat into the floor while Erza jumped, far above the slicing blades. She was quite surprised at how high she could jump, and landed with a graceful bound. She whirled around and knocked the sword out of one the guard's hands with a nimble punch, her hand closing around the hilt. She then used the heavy hilt to slam on the sword-less guards head, and just managed to dodge the other's swords. A blade did slice through her shoulder however, and the pain was instant. She let out a puff of air, but mostly she was just more pissed. With two more kicks, and slashes of her sword she knocked unconscious the others, panting when she was finished, her palm moving to cover the gushing wound.

"Holy shit." A voice came from the doorway, Natsu. Erza whirled around, and let loose one of her deathly glares. The pink haired boy squealed in fright and tried to run back the way he came, but Lucy, very helpfully, caught at his ankle and brought him down to the ground.

"Where. Is. Gray." Erza ground out, her voice a low dangerous growl.

"Erza?" Her question was answered by the man himself, stepping out of the hall he was in and regarding her with surprise. "Why are you here?"

"I was following the plan, when I heard your voice." She explained, "What the fuck?" She hissed, grabbing the cuffs of his guard shirt and shoving him against the nearby wall. "What happened to the plan?"

"I didn't want you two to get caught up in it."

"That is not your decision." Erza spat, "Do you think I'm here because you forced me? Because you didn't. I chose to be apart of this, because you were right. This is the right thing to do. That's enough for me to help, and for you to toss that away like it's nothing-" Her voice was slowly rising.

"When you two are done flirting, I have a different plan from what you're original one was." A cool female voice filled their ears. "We should go somewhere more enclosed."

Erza released her hold on Gray, and turned to face the new person. She was a lovely woman, perhaps only a couple years older than herself, her inky straight black hair resembling Gray's, and her large violet eyes intelligent and amused. She was very beautiful, almost resembling something from a fairy tale. She looked nothing like Gray (save the hair color), but judging from the accent in her voice, Erza assumed that she was his sister.

"Where's Natsu?" Lucy suddenly voiced, her brown eyes darting around. "Oh no." She whispered, "We can't let him go off on his own!"

"Why would the bastard even leave?" Gray muttered.

"Because he doesn't trust any of us." Lucy explained in a rushed breaking voice, "He doesn't trust any plan we might come up with, so he's gone to take him on his own!" The last word was a shriek. "We have to go after him!"

"Lucy, I have something different I need you to do," Gray said firmly, " I was just coming to find you. I'll make sure Natsu's fine. But I need you to run back to school, get the police or someone out here."

"How can you ask that?" Lucy demanded, "NATSU JUST WENT TO HIS DEATH AND YOU'RE ASKING ME TO RUN AWAY?! LIKE HELL!"

"Lucy please." Gray begged her, "If you don't, we'll all die. You're the only one who was on the track team, and can make it time." Erza stepped forward and whispered something in her ear, something Levy had told her.

"I'll never forgive you for this." Lucy spat, but turned and headed for the exit anyways.

"She can't get there in time." Erza said slowly, "You did that so she would be safe."

"Yeah well, I doubt I could get you to run back either." Gray snapped. "Even though it's safer."

"Who the hell cares about safe?" Erza asked. "And I am not as easily fooled as Lucy. I will not leave your side."

"We need to go after this 'Natsu' now." A silver haired boy joined them. "I can hear Deliora shouting for reinforcements."

"And will he get any?"

"No. I've sent all the guards on other patrols."

"Let's do this." Erza said, and took Gray's hand, pulling him after her.

...

"Now why are there so many unfamiliar faces in my castle?" The man hissed, leaning back against his throne. "Who let you in boy?"

"I let myself in," Natsu smirked, smashing his fists together. "And you're gonna pay for what you did to the villagers."

"Am I now?"

Natsu charged. He had learned self-defense for the last seven years, and Gildarts was a good teacher. He wasn't weak willed, nor weak physically and he was about to slam his fist into Deliora's face when the man literally caught his punch, closing his own fingers around Natsu's hand and crushing it, breaking all the bones in his grip.

"Let go Bastard!" Natsu growled, determined not to call out in pain.

"GUARDS! GUARDS!" The man shouted, slamming Natsu into the floor.

...

Natsu was passed out when they got in the room, Deliora standing above him with a gun in his hands.

"NO!" Erza shouted, but then something strange happened. The gun crumbled into dust, drifting over Natsu like glitter. She glanced to her side and noticed Ultear panting heavily, looking utterly exhausted.

"Damn." The woman murmured, although Erza didn't understand how she could do that to the gun from this distance. Focusing on other things, she gripped the hilt of the sword she had taken from the guard more firmly in her hand, and charged.

She was to weaken his defenses, and Gray and Lyon would go in for the killing blow. The sword was almost like an extension of her arm as she swung it towards Deliora, cutting deeply into the flesh between his arm and his shoulder there. Deliora howled, his first mistake being that he thought she didn't know how to wield a sword. In truth, she didn't. She hadn't ever taken a sword lesson… but somehow her body knew. It didn't make sense, and a word hovered at the edge of her mind—as if calling to her. The moment soon passed and she darted back as Deliora swung his fists at her.

"ERZA WATCH OUT!" Gray shouted, and she didn't catch Deliora's leg, so focused as she was on the upper half of his body, so it easily slammed into her side, shoving her back so her head cracked against the wall and everything went black.

...

**Next Time: Gray and Lyon take on Deliora and more! **

**A/n: Okay, so I haven't really had time to write a proper author's note yet, BUT I JUST HAD TO MENTION THAT I'M CAUGHT UP ON THE MANGA NOW NOT JUST THE ANIME! I'm currently reading all the new chapters on Crunchyroll, but it looks like most people have read chapter 400? I'm not there—it goes up to 399. BUT THE SILVER PART AND AQUARIOUS AND ERZA AND MIRAJANE AND GALE KISSES AND LUCY CRYING AND I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN THE NATSU IS E.N.D THEORY LIKE YESSSSSSS! AND GRAY IS LIKE SO COOL NOW I'M SO EXCITED HE WAS ALL LIKE 'YEP I'M BADASS NOW' AND WENDY AS WELL HER HAIR IS AWESOME. **

** Sorry…. None of my friends are caught up sniffles so I have no one to talk to about it. #lonelytimes**

** -Sage**


	10. Do You Have My Back?

a/n: Just so you know, Gray knows how to use a sword because he took lessons when he was younger. I mentioned that earlier, but it was just a sentence so if you missed that—yeah. Anyways, I want to thank everyone who reviewed last chapter, and I sincerely hope you like the ending to this story arc.

I tried to catch all the grammar mistakes, but sometimes they fly away from me and I totally miss them. Thank you to Epicocity for helping me with pointing some of those out and being a fantastic beta.

I had a very love hate relationship with this chapter and so it's not in my opinon… the best. Still, I hope you enjoy it!

Also, if you like NaLu, I'm writing a AU story called 'The Light of the Sun' which I'm excited for, and I hope you can read it!

Lucy had never run so fast in her life. Her legs flew across sticks, branches, and leaves, her face and arms slashed from the branches that whipped her as she ran past them. Her clothes were soaking wet, she had to swim across the lake—it was the fastest way to get to the school.

Breaths were heaving violently out of her lungs, a stich in her side burning. She could see Natsu's face in her mind, but it only made her run faster faster faster, because she had to get to the school in time to notify the police before it was too late.

…

"ERZA!" The scream tore from his mouth desperately as Erza flew across the room, her head cracking against the wall. It was almost in slow motion that she fell to the ground, her sword rolling out of her grip. He couldn't tell if she was breathing or not, her scarlet hair masking any blood that might be leaking out of her head.

If he had been angry when he saw Lyon, it was nothing compared to what he was feeling right now. Anger swelled in every part of his body, making him feel sick with the intensity of it. He turned his eyes upon the man who smirked at him, his body nearly shaking.

"Gray don't do anything rash," Lyon hissed to him, "keep your head."

Gray didn't listen, the words going into his ears and then slipping from his brain as quickly as water trickles through a drain. He lunged forward towards Deliora, the sword he held in his grip growing cold as he swung it towards the man.

Deliora seemed surprised when he actually had to duck, causing Gray's sword to slam into the back of the elaborate throne. Gemstones rained down like tear drops as Gray brutally ripped the metal out of the aged wood. Deliora kicked him in the chest, and his breath flew out of him as he soared backwards, landing on the floor with a smashing sound, inches away from Natsu—who still lie prone on the ground.

His armor that he got from the guard protected him some however, and his fall wasn't as bad as Erza's was. Lyon took his fall as the opportunity to jump forward, and surprise Deliora by slashing at his legs. The man cried out in pain as deep cuts began to gash into his legs, but he shoved Lyon back as well.

Lyon got up almost immediately, wiping blood from his mouth. "He's to strong," he said to Gray, "We can't possibly—"

"Don't give up," Gray spat at him. "Only when you give up does it mean it's over."

"Erza's still breathing!" Ultear called, and he glanced over for a brief moment to see his adoptive sister resting Erza's head gently on the ground. "She'll be okay!" Gray let a breath of relief escape him, but it was the only sign of emotion he showed before he once again narrowed his eyes at Deliora.

"Get Natsu out of the way." he barked at his sister.

"Ur's sons am I correct?" Deliora questioned, a smile stretching over his lips gruesomely. "The last time I saw you… well I believe you were all so _small_. Tried to kill me for killing your parents, am I correct?"

"I'm not a child anymore." Gray said simply, holding his sword like Erza had. It was heavy in his hands, and even though he'd taken sword-fighting lessons when he was younger-they weren't with real swords.

"No, you're not, but I assume your attacks will do the same amount of damage they did all those years ago."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Lyon snarled, "I have trained."

"Lyon!" Deliora clapped, "I should have guessed you and Ultear were traitors, friends to this scum." he raised one massive hand and gestured at Gray. "Now I shall kill you all."

There was a flash, and all the lights went out. Gray cried out as something slammed into his chest, pushing him to the ground. He heard Lyon cry out as well, Ultear was screaming their names. Gray closed his eyes, his sword stamped out of his hand and spiraling across the room, the darkness absolute. He waited for the deathblow, the one that would kill him this time.

It didn't come. The weight fell off of him, and the lights flickered back on.

Deliora was lying on the floor in front of them, a sword sticking out of his back, his hands outstretched, clearly dead. A hooded figure was standing behind him, their hands stained with blood. Gray, gasping for breath stared at them, and they turned around and dashed out of the hall before they could do anything about it.

…

"Luce…" Natsu murmured in his sleep, and turned over, rubbing at his eyes.

"And so he wakes up… after the battles won." Gray muttered exasperatedly, but his eyes are still focused on the blood, which trickles across the floor like a red river, soaking his shoes.

"Gray?" Erza asks, her voice rough as she sits up and rubs her head. He turns towards her, and even though he's not quite sure how he got there, he's suddenly by her side, and his arms go around her before she can say anything. He feels her catch her breath in surprise, and for a moment he's surprised too—he hasn't expressed this contact with anyone in ages. Somehow he feels like he was so close to losing her—and he can't let go.

"Gray?" she whispered again, and this time he does pull away.

"Sorry," he muttered, his eyes closing for a brief moment before he stands up. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Lyon?" came a masculine voice from the doorway before Erza can answer, "Ultear? What are you doing here… what happened to Lord Deliora?" The man rubs his head, his eyes unfocused. "Did you… kill him?"

"Deliora has been tricking you for the past few years…" Ultear tried to explain, moving to stand in front of her brothers. "We did not kill him. Someone assassinated him." It was not a lie, for they had not killed him—nor gotten even close to killing him.

"You killed our Master!" The man cried—obviously having no clear thought. Erza stood, reaching for the sword she'd dropped in the fray. Her balance was slightly unsteady, and she pressed a palm to her temple, as if her head still throbbed.

"Erza let me –"

"Handle this?" she questioned, "I really see no need to fight them. If… they behave." She added, her voice a low dangerous growl.

"Obey you? I don't even know who the hell you are—" The guard broke off as Erza stalked forward and rammed his head against the wall, causing him to fall unconscious. In that time a squadron of around ten guards came tumbling into the room, and the scarlet haired woman sighed, strands of hair fluttering as she exhaled.

"It would be so much simpler if they all listened." she said, putting another hand to her head, "Gray do you have my back?" It was a simple question, but nonetheless it was one that made him feel… gushy inside. He hated the feeling.

"Yes." he snapped, pressing his back against hers. Lyon struggled to his feet, then collapsed.

"My ankle, I think it's broken," his brother panted.

"It's up to you two!" Ultear emphasized, moving to drag both her brother and Natsu out of the way.

"Let's do this." Erza told him, and even though he still wasn't entirely convinced she should be fighting after taking such a hard fall, he trusted her as she lunged forward.

The guards were no match for her. She whirled through them like a tornado, and he was only left to pick up the stragglers which barely managed to evade her attacks. She kicked and whirled and punched, smashed them on the head with the hilt of her sword, and even once did an impressive karate chop.

"Where the hell…" he panted, "Did you learn to fight like that?"

"I don't know," She answered, shrugging. "It just came to me."

Gray looked at her in astonishment, before a great shattering of glass sounded from behind them. The window shards flew inwards, and Gray instinctively raised his arms to protect his face as the clear daggers cut through the air.

"This is the police!" a voice shouted, "Put your hands in the air!"

…

When you're found in a room with a dead body on an island with scores of missing people Gray learned, you had to answer a lot of questions. He, Ultear, Lyon, Erza, Natsu and Lucy all had to sit through fierce interrogations; the kind he only thought existed in movies. Eventually the government decided that teenagers couldn't kill a man that dangerous—and if they did, who cared? The world was a better place without him. So they were released back to the school—although the punishment the Master certainly had in store for them was going to be brutal.

"We're going to die," Lucy moaned, her brown eyes flickering up at the school, none of the happiness that once crossed her face at the sight was now on her features. "There is no possible way we won't get punished for this." Gray looked down at her, and knew that the two of them were more shaken up than the others. The others didn't have parents that cared enough to be angry—or didn't have parents at all, but Gray had one Father who sure would care, and Lucy as well.

"We must grit our teeth and bear it." Erza said solemnly, her expression and voice serious.

"Oh dear sweet Mavis," Gray muttered, glancing sideways at the dramatic redhead.

"You've returned! How was your island get away?" Mirajane's bubbly voice came out of nowhere, and all four people jumped. "The Master wants you in his office right away." Lucy and Natsu visibly began to sweat, but Erza merely looked cool. Gray could see her twitching slightly however, as if she too was worried about the outcome.

The walk to the Master's office took forever. It seemed that every step they took was several minutes long, every breath elongated as they imagined the various horrors they might have to endure when they reached their destination. Lucy, with her wild imagination, looked the most nervous, her hands trembling with fear.

"Come in." the voice answered, after Erza raised a fist and slowly knocked. The four of them stepped inside—Gray half expecting to get punched the moment their feet hit the carpet.

There was a streak of blue, and Natsu was immediately knocked onto the ground, Wendy's arms around him as silent tears poured down her face. Natsu looked immensely guilty, his hand moving to pat Wendy gingerly on the back as he sat up, careful not to jostle his sister too much.

Gray turned his eyes to meet the headmaster, and was surprised by the youthfulness of the man before him. Muscles bulged as the blonde man crossed his arms over his chest, and a lightning shaped scar bent and warped as the man turned his face into a scowl. So this was the Master.

"What do you think you four were doing—"

"Master it's all my—" Erza began, cutting him off.

"It's my fault." Gray broke in, because it was true. He was the one who dragged her, and Natsu and Lucy into this. "They followed me, it wasn't her fault at all. I went after Natsu and Lucy like you asked me to, and when I found them—"

"I've read the file." The Master raised a hand. "I'm letting you off easy this time, with only a phone call to your parents. Natsu, since you stay here over the summer I'll find different means." The pink haired boy gulped.

Gray looked at him curiously. He didn't know that Natsu stayed here over the summer, instead of going back to his house.

"Did you already call my Dad?" Lucy asked, looking more nervous than when she walked in. The Master sighed, and nodded.

"He was an asshole." The Master said simply.

"Laxus!" Mirajane's angry voice came from outside the hall, and the white haired woman marched in. "That's Lucy's Father!"

"He's coming to take me back home." Lucy didn't state it like a question, more like it was a known fact. Laxus nodded, and Lucy turned on her heel and practically ran from the room—tears falling slowly down her face. Nobody moved for a moment before—

"I'll go after her." Erza volunteered, and followed the blonde. Gray looked back at the Head Master, surprised at how chill he was with them breaking the rules… and in some ways the law.

"Lucy's… leaving?" Natsu asked, a shocked look on his face. "Leaving the school?"

"Yes," Mirajane answered, "Her Father's servants are already at the gate, that's what I came in to tell you Master. I'll go help her pack," And the white haired girl quietly took her leave.

Wendy pushed herself off of Natsu, and looked at him questioningly. The boy stood up, and then sprinted down the hall towards Lucy's room.

…

"Mistress, your Father insists you come as soon as possible." A cool emotionless voice spoke into the room, as a blue haired woman stepped in. Lucy simply stared at her hands, having already sent Mira and Erza away.

"Hello Juvia." Lucy finally spoke, her brown eyes flickering up to meet the woman. "How have you been?"

"Juvia is fine," The woman instructed, "Please pack as fast as you can."

"I don't need anything," Lucy stood up, and departed from the room. Juvia followed her carefully; making sure the blonde didn't make any sudden movements. "Dad can just buy me all new things can't he?" Juvia didn't answer, her blue eyes expressionless. "Thought so." Lucy murmured, mostly to herself.

…

"LUCY!" Natsu shouted as he raced down the hall into the girl's dorm, coming to a screeching halt outside her bedroom. He quite violently threw open the door, his feet propelling him inside. No one was in, and Lucy's things were still scattered everywhere. That meant she hadn't left… right? She would be in here packing though—unless she didn't take anything with her—unless she left without saying goodbye. "LUCY!" he shouted again, abandoning her room.

"She's gone Natsu." Mirajane whispered, coming out of the room next door, "Her Father's guards just came and got her. I don't think she's coming back to the school."


	11. Love, Memory, and Pain

A/N: Did you read the new chapter? All I can say is I BELIEVE NATSU IS END.

And uh if you like GrayZa I started a one-shot collection that gets updated every day. Thanks again to my beta Epicocity! (I really tried to get the dialogue thing done this chapter. I seriously had to redo like ten sentences, but who knows.)

She threw her sword, the sword that had impaled Deliora, onto her bed, the blood staining the coverlet. It had been a long journey to get back to headquarters, tiresome to the extreme. She next ripped off her hood, letting it drop to the floor. She was angry, beyond angry—because Gray had been there. She let her fingers run through her short black bob—Gray, Lyon and Ultear. The exact people she didn't want to be involved in a battle like that.

"I know you're angry," a soft voice came from the doorway… Lisanna.

"Hell yes I'm angry!" she whirled around, jabbing a finger at the white haired girl. "Keeping Jellal and Meredy thinking Ultear was in the dark was one thing—but this is another."

"Ur. I need you to calm down," Lisanna spoke carefully, "Sting and I decided that the best option here was to send Ultear into the field."

"You know she's to weak right now—"

"How do you know that? Because if I remember correctly, you haven't been to see her once since the incident. Not that she knows of your new state."

"When everything calms down I will," Ur snapped, her eyes shifting to a view a picture of the girl in question.

"I went to get Gray's future told like you requested," Lisanna smoothly changed the subject; once again remind Ur why this girl was the head of the rebellion. Lisanna had been angrier than anyone here, and in some ways she had a right to be. Ur couldn't help but think the incident changed her for the worst.

"You didn't tell Cana?" Ur asked carefully, they couldn't let something slip to the brunette until the time was right.

"Of course not…. No—I had Sting ask her."

"And? What did his future say?" Ur demanded, his future was the one she was worried the most about. They seemed to want him the most, and for that she needed to make sure he was safe.

"It said…" Lisanna took a deep breath and continued; "It said he has love, memory and… pain in his future."

**Five Months Later**

"I can't believe they're _forcing_ us all to go home," Gray groaned, stepping onto the train car, going as slow as he possibly could. "I mean it's only spring break," Erza smiled slightly at his complaints, the two of them had become closer in the months that followed Deliora, studying together, him painting while she 'observed', talking, going to class, teaching her how to draw and have fun-and while she still hadn't seen him smile—she felt like she knew him better than anyone else here.

"I wonder where Natsu and Wendy are going for the break," she mused instead, her brown eyes scanning the train car for their familiar faces. Since Lucy's sudden departure, Natsu had been rather distant—but Wendy was still her good friend, even she didn't talk much.

"I don't know, but I'm glad I don't need to see his mopey ass any longer." Gray slid into the seats in the back row, Erza sitting next to him.

"Be nice. You know it's hardest for him that we heard nothing from Lucy after her departure," he simply rolled his eyes at her, rummaging once again in his bag for his sketchbook—much like the first day. She sighed, he'd taken the window seat—and she found herself without anything to do.

"What are the chances that he sneaks out and goes to find her?" Gray asked her after a moment, and then—

A small blunette ran towards them, a look of distress upon her small face. Gray gave Erza a look of triumph as Wendy shoved a piece of paper in Erza's hand for her to read.

_Natsu went to Lucy's house! WE NEED TO GO AFTER HIM! The Master asked me to deliver this personally; him and Mira are waiting in a car. _

Gray sent Erza a grin, and the scarlet haired girl exhaled with relief—she wouldn't have to go home yet, she wouldn't have to see them-she pushed those thoughts aside and sprang up after her best friend and followed him out of the train car.

They didn't notice the tall student glancing after them from in-between her dark curtains of her, idly throwing one blue dyed tip behind her shoulder as she narrowed her green eyes at the sight of them.

"Annika?" someone next to her asked, and her attention broke away from the departing students.

…

"Thank you so much!" Mirajane cried at the sight of them, jumping from her position leaning against the car and hugging them both. "I'll give you a week of no therapy for this!" The Master, or Laxus as he preferred to be called, was sitting in the driver's seat of the car, his face pulled into a scowl. "We decided that we couldn't bring Natsu back without the help of you two," Mira explained next, gesturing for them to get into the car.

"It's no problem at all!" Gray and Erza said in almost perfect unison, which caused a laugh to bubble out of Erza's lips before she could stop it. Gray grew very weird and silent around laughter—so she generally tried not to do it much.

"Well, let's try and catch him before he gets to far!"

…

It wasn't that hard for Natsu to find Lucy's house. In fact, it was very easy. All you did was google 'Heartfilia Estate' and a handy little address popped up, not that far from the school in fact. Natsu wondered to himself why Lucy took the train when she was close enough to walk.

Well, it took around twelve hours for him to walk there, foregoing all offers of vehicles. He would rather not be vomiting on her carpet when he arrived.

He whistled through his teeth when he saw her house, large, gold and impressive, rising out of the trees like some giant gold statue with lots of windows, the back of the house pressed against a tall snowcapped mountain. It was a lovely sight really, and if it was not for Lucy hating it the structure so firmly he didn't know what his opinion would be. He had no idea what window could be Lucy's, and there were lots of windows—so he observed the whole house for a couple minutes. Guards strolled regularly across the gardens, although they mostly seemed relaxed, like this job was more boring than exciting. Still, boredom meant if they did see someone—a.k.a him, he was done for.

He was currently standing behind a tree in the forests that bordered their house, and he slowly creeped out from behind it's thick trunk when he saw an opening between guard patrols. He was immediately inside a green garden bush before anyone could see—feeling extremely proud of himself.

_"You have to make sure Lucy Heartfilia doesn't get back to Fairy Tail, that's your only mission." _a voice crackled through what Natsu assumed was the speakers of a phone, and he tilted his head to the side, automatically snapping to attention as Lucy's name was mentioned.

"Juvia knows sir." another voice spoke up, female and cool. "Juvia will succeed in her mission."

_"You better. Or you know what will happen." _

"Juvia understands. Have a nice day." she said, and Natsu can practically hear the sadness radiating out from her tone. His assumption that she was depressed was only further proven when the sounds of someone sobbing echoed through the bushes. He dared a peek, and saw that the owner to those tears was a young woman—probably Lucy's age. She had curly blue hair that fell to her shoulders, and large blue eyes that couldn't stop crying. Something about her whole body almost looked watery, but he decided he must have been seeing things. "Juvia just wants to go home," he heard the girl whisper to herself, "Juvia just wants this all to be over. She wants to be with the others!"

Natsu took her tears as an opportunity to dart out of his bush and run across the courtyard to another bush—and he didn't notice the happy look that spread across the bluenettes face at the sight of him, and he certainly didn't notice it dissolve into more tears when she watched Natsu hide.

He wasn't sure how he was going to figure out what window was hers, and decided to act on impulse rather than smarts. He could see books in that window; if it was anyone's room it would be hers. He knew this after all, she was the girl he…. Pushing away that thought he scooped up a rock from the grounds, and stepping out of his bushes chucked it at the window, and it bounced off the glass with a solid sound. Natsu seriously thought he had magic for a moment there. Lucy came to the window, golden hair glinting in the sunlight streaming through her window. He waved at her, smiling happily.

She went white, and mouthed frantically at him. _What are you doing here?_

_I want to talk to you_. He mouthed back, and then caught sight of the perfect tool for getting into her room. A rose trellis, clinging tightly to the side of the house, and so what if he got stabbed a couple of times by some roses? It wouldn't matter—not to him anyways. Looking left and right to make sure no guards were coming, he began to climb up it like a ladder, quickly and efficiently. Lucy opened her window and hauled him inside before anyone could see, sending them both crashing on to her rug, his body smashing against hers for a moment before he quickly pushed himself off of her before it could be considered in any way 'scandalous'.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, shutting her window with a snap and turning to face him. He didn't answer, instead taking this moment to sink into one of the pink cushy chairs by her window. He stared at his hands for a moment, his eyes thoughtful.

"I came here to take you back with me," he finally said, his eyes flickering up to meet her form. She was as beautiful as she was in November, large brown eyes and golden hair, her mouth set in a firm line, which softened as she heard his words.

"Natsu—" she began, her eyes moving from him and switching to staring at the floor, "I can't go with you."

"Why not?" he demanded.

"My Father—he's having me get married. To a man, I don't even know," she smiled weakly, "If I don't, he's going to make sure Fairy Tail gets run into the ground."

"Like hell that will ever happen," Natsu growled, his whole body tense. "Laxus was right, your dad is a jack ass."

"Oh like you're any better," Lucy snapped back.

"I am!"

"How?"

"How am I not?"

"Well both of you don't trust me," she suggested, anger radiating from every pore. "Tell me Natsu, why don't you trust me? My lovely amazing Father doesn't trust me because he thinks I'm out for his money, but you don't have any reason do—" She was broke off in her tirade when he lunged forward and kissed her.


	12. Juvia

A/N: probably the shortest chapter so far. Honestly though, I think that it to add next chapters events wouldn't fit—would make it seem less… I don't know, important? Sometimes important things need their own chapters. I would love it if you amazing people could tell me what you think about the newest plot twist? Also any questions you may have? You may be able to guess where I'm taking it after this….

It has been pointed out to me by my amazing beta Epicocity that I have some issues with sentence structure. My grammar is a work in progress, so please let me know if there is anything else I can fix.

…

She tastes of fancy chocolates and tears. They haven't kissed for almost a year now, and it's the oddest thing now—to feel her lips crashing into his, to smell her scent as powerfully as before—like raspberries. If he had to put another word to the thing she smelled so beautifully of, that word would be stars—because stars were such beautiful things.

He's rather surprised when she shoves him away, her soft palms digging into his chest before parting their two mouths, her breathing ragged. A faint blush is staining her cheeks, her lips slightly swollen. Her brown eyes look confused for a mere moment—before they narrow at him angrily.

"What the hell Natsu?" she demanded of him, keeping her voice as low as possible so they wouldn't attract attention.

"What?" He questioned, slightly alarmed. Was he so out of practice with kissing that she considered him to be gross?

"You can't just do that!" she exclaimed, her face going even redder.

"Why not?" he asked, an innocent expression filling his features while his mind whirled with various doubts.

"Because you can't just run away kissing people!" she protested weakly, "and I was asking you a question, and that wasn't an acceptable answer."

"Lucy—" He began, his voice breaking off with a wimpy squeak, "It's not easy to say." he confessed.

"Try," she begs, her brown eyes boring into his soul, "Natsu, please. I deserve an answer."

"I can't Lucy—"

"TRY. I'll come back if you tell me."

"Really?"

"I promise."

"Fine," he exhaled a deep sigh through his mouth, "when I was seven—I woke up, and my Dad was gone. He left, him and my Mother. They just _disappeared_, the car was gone, their clothes packed up—and the worse part was Wendy and I had gotten in a violent fight with them the night before—so what did we think? That we were the reason our parents left—that there was something wrong with us." He bit out the words through his teeth like they were bile, "So before you ask me why I have problems, think about how a kid would be if their parents suddenly left in the middle of the night."

"Natsu," Lucy murmured, and she reached upwards to grip the edges of his scarf and wrenched his mouth to hers once more.

"WHO THE HELL IS THAT!?" an angry male voice broke through their passionate embrace, and when Natsu looked up he saw none other than Lucy's Father glaring down at them.

…

"This is her house?" Gray asked in disbelief, his eyes growing wider as he stared up at the great building. They were just outside of the long winding driveway, and they could just barely glimpse the roof peeking up between the trees—but it did look like it was made of real gold. "How the hell does someone get this much money anyways?"

Before his question could be answered, it began to rain. Violently so, each drop the size of a man's finger, splattering against the window shield so hard and fast that no one could even see what was going on outside.

"Where did that come from?" Erza asked, squinting through the window.

"Is that…" Gray trailed off as he leaned closer to the window, practically pressing his face against the surface, "Someone walking through the rain?"

"They do have an umbrella," Mirajane offered helpfully, while Wendy merely shivered as if the thought of the rain displeased her. Gray frowned again, as the figure approached, a dim silhouette in the thundering rain.

"Gray, what are you doing?" Erza questioned, as his hand went to the door handle.

"This feels familiar," He whispered, shoving the door open and stepping outside.

"Gray are you fucking crazy—Erza for gods sake don't follow him!"

As the figure approached, Gray could clearly see it was a woman. She was wearing clothes meant for winter, thick and warm. She had blue hair that curled at the end, big blue eyes to match. A dark hat was fastened on her head, and she tightly gripped the pink umbrella. Something in those blue eyes flickered at the sight of Gray and Erza huddled in the rain—but it quickly was replaced with a steely determination.

"Juvia shall not let you pass," the woman spoke, her voice as cool as the atmosphere around her, "She will do whatever it takes."

"Who are you?!" Gray demanded, his voice hard, "I demand you tell us now!"

"Juvia is Juvia," the woman replied serenely, her eyes flickering. "That is all the questions you will be permitted to ask."

"I'll ask what questions I want to." Gray snapped.

"_Water Nebula_!" two large columns of water slammed into both teenagers, and sent them spiraling to the pavement, which they hit with a sick crunch.

"What the hell?" Gray demanded loudly, as another wave of water hit them, "How is she using—" his words were cut off as a large amount of water slammed into his mouth.

"Gray!" Erza called, speaking up for the first time.

"Juvia is sorry," the woman said, "but they will hurt her unless she does this." Squinting skywards, he saw that the woman was standing right over him and Erza now, her hand raised.

"Water—" she began, but before she could finish… whatever the hell she was doing, Erza grabbed her ankle and flipped her onto the ground next to them. The scarlet haired was on her feet in the next second, her brown eyes narrowing as the water continued to pour down.

Gray was on top of 'Juvia' in the next moment, his hands moving to pin her arms above her head. The woman looked at him with her large sad eyes for a brief moment, before her body literally dissolved under his fingertips, going see through and sliding underneath him. He swore and leaped up, as the water on the cement bubbled and rose—to make the shape of the woman once more.

"That isn't…possible," Erza panted, as the woman looked calmly back at them—not a single scratch upon her strange body.

"Juvia must not let you pass," she repeated again.

"Juvia?" Gray asked, his brow furrowing, "Listen Juvia, we just need to get our friend back. My name is Gray," he said, stepping forward and extending a hand, "I really don't want to hurt you."

Tears welled up in the woman's eyes, and her whole body quivered. "You do not know," she whispered, "Gray-sama doesn't know…"

"Doesn't know what?" Erza asked, "What don't we know?"

"_Water Lock!"_ Juvia shouted, and then Gray was floating.

Laxus watched the whole thing go down. As soon as Juvia had them in her ever famous water lock, he slid open the door and stepped out side as well—locking the doors so Mirajane and Wendy couldn't follow.

"Juvia," Laxus said carefully, approaching the woman with his hands raised carefully as Gray and Erza bobbed in the giant bubble of water, suspended over the pavement—eerily floating. "Why are you on their side?"

"Juvia is doing this for her family!" She shouted, "Laxus-san doesn't understand, he can't understand!"

"Juvia, there are more people like us—people who know—we can help you—Just put Gray and Erza down!"

"They have her," Juvia whispered, "They'll hurt her if Juvia doesn't do this."

"Please," Laxus begged, "We need Natsu so we can bring them back again. We'll save whoever needs to be saved—"

"Meredy, her name is Meredy,"

"Alright, we'll save Meredy. Please Juvia, we'll find a way to bring them all back. We'll get our family back." Juvia eyes filled with tears, and she dropped the water lock, sending Gray and Erza sprawling onto the ground.

"Don't break your promise," the woman whispered, and she ran back through the pouring rain—away from Laxus and the others.


	13. Better That Way

A/N: Okay, first I wanted to say how much I love all of you. I published a NaLu Hogwarts one-shot the other day, and so many of you reviewed, I was shocked. It made me realize that some of you are actually following what stories I publish and stuff! I seriously nearly had a heart attack, I was so happy.

I love you all. So here, have some NaLu and GrayZa fluff. BTW, the next chapter is all GrayZa. When I mean all GrayZa, I mean it. Literally, Natsu and Lucy won't come in at all. (the one after that is all Rowen and Nalu tho, promise.)

Lucy and Natsu were torn brutally apart by two of her Father's guards, before they could fight back. Lucy's hand extended towards him; desperately grasping for his own reaching fingers, until her Father cracked her across the face with his hand.

She didn't allow herself to emit a whimper of pain, but instead let her hand fall limply to her side, giving up on reaching him. As soon as her Father had shouted—the guards had come rushing down the hall and she had known it was over. This was the part in her life when someone, usually a condescending adult, would say _life isn't fair_. But it _never_ had been for her. So why the hell couldn't life give her this one thing? This one happiness?

Natsu was attempting to fight some of the guards, and he actually managed to take out a few before they pinned his arms behind his back. He let out a brief cry of pain as they yanked his them brutally behind his body.

"Don't hurt him!" she cried, her eyes wide and pleading with her Father. He ignored her… of course.

"Where is Juvia?" he instead demanded of the guards, his eyes searching for his best employee.

"She disappeared sir." One of them said nervously.

Natsu looked up at her when the words were spoken, and through his pain—he smiled. It was one of his beautiful smiles, one that had haunted her dreams since they broke up all those months ago.

"It's going to be okay Luce," he promised, his voice sweet as Natsu's could be. Lucy struggled again, as her Father instructed the guard to punch Natsu in the stomach to keep from him talking. "It's all going to be okay," Natsu repeated, and they hit him again, and again.

"Sir!" a small clerk stepped into the room, nervous in the presence of her Father, as most of his employees were. "A man named Laxus is demanding to see you, he says he is the legal guardian of Mr. Natsu Dragneel, who is somewhere in your house."

"Is that your name?" Her Father demanded of the pink haired boy. Natsu grinned again, and his lip split—a gory trail of blood spilling down his face.

"You son of a bitch," he spat a bloody wad of spittle right into her Father's eye. Jude punched the boy in the face, and Natsu slumped forward.

"Please take his guardian here," he instructed the clerk, who scampered off at once.

There were a couple minutes of awkward silence, the only sound being Natsu's labored breathing and Lucy's frantic panting, the guards straining grunts as they held Natsu back, who was evidentially still fighting even though he was obviously in pain.

The silence was fully broken when Laxus stalked into the room, closely followed by Mirajane, Gray, Erza and Wendy. Gray and Erza were scraped up, and soaking wet. She could see the scarlet haired girl shivering as they stood. Gray scowled, before grabbing a blanket that hung off the back of one of her chairs, and wrapped it tightly around Erza. Laxus was wet as well, but that didn't make him any less intimidating, if anything, it made him scarier.

"We're here to take Natsu back with us," he said firmly, but his eyes flickered to Lucy for the slightest moment. He seemed to analyze the mark her Father had left on her cheek. "And Lucy," he added as an afterthought.

"You can take back this _scum_ all you want—" her Father gestured at Natsu, who had raised his head at the sight of his friends. "But taking Lucy is out of the question."

The guards let go of Natsu's arms finally, but before he could do anything Wendy was at his side, sitting him down firmly on the carpet and examining his face closely. Lucy sighed in relief. Natsu would surely be okay with his sister right next to him, tending to his wounds.

"He hit him in the stomach too, Wendy," Lucy spoke up, and her Father whirled on her again.

"You stay quiet," he snarled at her, raising his hand again. Gray and Erza were both in-between her and her Father's fists in an instant, and she could practically feel their bodies thrumming with adrenaline. She didn't have much time to admire their perfect synchronization before the raven-haired boy spoke.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you," Gray said warningly, and Lucy could have sworn she saw Erza grip Gray's wrist, as if she was trying to hold him back.

"Let me tell you how this is going to happen Mr. Heartfilia," Mirajane said sweetly for the first time, stepping forward, "you are going to order your guards from this room immediately." She was dressed in a black dress, one that Lucy hadn't seen on her before. It contrasted oddly with her white hair, made her blue eyes seem bright, and more deadly.

"What makes you think I would ever do that?" Her Father demanded.

"Because I'm about to tell everyone _all_ of your crimes, and it wouldn't do for those in your employment to listen in, would it now?" Mirajane's voice was still sweet, but her face suggested that he not mess with her.

"Fine," he agreed, to Lucy's surprise, "Leave," he barked.

"Mirajane—" Laxus reached out a hand to stop the white haired woman from advancing more, but she shook him off, pushing him back slightly with her palm.

"Where should I start?" Mirajane's sweet voice had dropped, a cruel look flashed over her face, before she wiped it clean and it was carefully blank, "maybe with the fact that you cheated on your wife on _several_ different occasions? That you have physically abused her and Lucy for years? That if a certain employee finally stood up to you—you'd attack the people they loved?"

"You're, you're—a Strauss." It was the first time Lucy saw her Father scared.

"Damn right," Mirajane snarled, "you told the good church loving people of my town that I was a demon—well you know what? This is revenge you little fucker. I doubt anyone would ever do business with you after they learned your dirty tactics?"

"What do you want from me?"

"Pass over Lucy's legal guardianship over to me," Mirajane stated, "Let her leave this place in peace, and nobody has to know. I'll keep quiet, but if you don't let Lucy come with us, or speak of our little talk with anyone, I'll make sure the entire public knows how much of a jackass you are."

Laxus looked amazed, like he was seeing Mirajane for the first time. Lucy could feel a smile stretching across her face when her Father nodded, and immediately pushed past Gray, Erza and Jude, until she could collapse into Natsu's arms, her face buried in his shoulder.

…

While Natsu and Lucy were to busy kissing to notice anything, Gray and Erza hung back. Erza and Mirajane packing up as much of Lucy's stuff as possible, so they didn't have to come back here again. Gray was helping as much as he could, although he refused to go near Lucy's clothes after Erza held up a particularly lacy number. The scarlet haired girl seemed satisfied that he flinched back from the offending object instead of fawning over it—so instead he resumed packing up Lucy's other belongings, as it would be better to avoid a black eye if possible.

He didn't realize that he and Erza were alone until she sighed loudly. Glancing upwards, he saw that she was sitting on the edge of her bed, and as if on accident, she raised her fingers and brushed her sweaty hair out of her eyes. He could hardly believe it—Erza never ever showed him the right side of her face. Those infuriating scarlet strands of hers always covered it; no matter how much pleading he did with her to show him that side of her.

She didn't seem to realize what she'd done at first—and he drunk in as much of her appearance as possible.

It surprised him, and didn't. He expected that someone was causing her to keep her eye covered like that, but it wasn't exactly what he was expecting.

The eye was clouded over—like she had been blinded by something. A great curving scar cut through her eyebrow and crossed into her eye, before curving downwards onto her cheek. It looked like a knife scar, like someone had intentionally done this—obscured her vision.

She caught him staring, and quickly covered that side of her face back up, a shameful blush moving onto her cheeks. Before he quite knew what he was doing, he had stood up and tucked the scarlet strands back behind her ear once more, baring that part of her face to the world.

"Better that way," he said, his voice uneven, and then turned and left before he could do something like _kiss her_.

…

She'd been running for hours. She wasn't sure where she was running exactly—all she knew was that she couldn't stop.

Juvia. The name, the name that belonged respectively to her—was almost unfamiliar. The way Laxus said it, while he had never really spoken to her before the incident; it brought back a rush of unwelcome memories. Memories of her home, the place she was working so hard to get back to.

She was close to exhaustion—while she didn't get thirsty, a hunger fit for Natsu was building in her stomach, and her eyes were growing heavier than she thought they ever could. She knew it wouldn't be long before she collapsed, and then they would find her.

It was another couple hours before her legs gave out. She had left behind the forest miles and miles ago, and was somewhere in the suburbs now. She had just crashed face first onto someone's dewy lawn, and her chest heaved, her eyes going blurry—this time not from tears.

"Hey—" Someone, and she knew that voice, prodded at her. She couldn't find the strength to respond, her head lolling on the grass, her breathing becoming even more ragged, "ULTEAR!" the same voice shouted, "ULTEAR GET OUT HERE!" He turned Juvia over, and she tried to get her blue eyes to focus on the face above her.

Silver hair fell into his forehead, over dark ebony eyes, with a sleek pointed chin—his whole appearance sharp. _Lyon._


	14. Run Away From All This Madness

**Warning: this has themes of abuse. If you have any triggers towards that, please don't read.**

This is my favorite chapter so far. Hands down.

Thank you as always, to **Epicocity**. (you guys should check out their latest Fairy Tail story trust me it's brilliant.)

On another note, that latest chapter made me so mad. I DID NOT WANT TO GO BACK TWENTY MINUTES AND SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO NATSU. I WANTED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED WITH FACE. But you can't always get what you want…. And I suppose I won't for several more chapters. ***dramatic sigh***

Juvia didn't have any strength left, but she still attempted to back away quickly, her hands slipping on the wet grass. Lyon looked at her with nothing but concern, and for whatever reason it hurt her, as much as a knife would. It was just a painful reminder of what she'd lost, and she struggled to her feet.

"Juvia is fine," she said quickly, her blue eyes growing wider than they should. She was desperate to get away now, and it seemed to her that was all she did anymore. Getting away from Gray, from _them_, from herself. Her life was falling apart before her eyes, and she couldn't do anything about it.

Lyon only approached her, his face the perfect mask of gentleness and tender concern.

"Please get away from Juvia," she said slowly, and then she heard it. The fast chopping of something airborne, descending over her with quick snaps. She knew now that her chase was over. They'd caught up to her.

She looked around wildly for a moment, she couldn't let them think Lyon was in on it. Raising her hand she punched him straight in the nose, sending him flying to the ground. She knew her own strength, and knew he would be unconscious. Her head shot towards the sky, and she tried to will her legs to run, but it was to late. She felt the dart enter her neck, could practically feel the drug swirling through her body, making her eyes and limbs heavy—causing her to crash to the ground as the darkness surrounded her.

**Two months later**

Gray was currently lying in his bedroom, making no noise, and pretending he didn't exist. At least, that was what he was trying to do, but it wasn't something that was particularly _easy_. The reason for his total and absolute insistence that he shouldn't exist in this crazy messed up world? Erza Scarlet.

It was July, the middle of summer, and while he had given her his phone number on the last day of school, _she still hadn't called him yet_. He wasn't a stalker, but she promised she would call him the next day! Instead of feeling angry with her for ignoring him however, all he could feel was this crushing concern that almost made him feel sick.

"What are you doing?" Ultear's tone of voice was definitely kinder than it had been the previous summer, the look on her face almost genuinely concerned. He didn't blame her, he'd pretty much turned into a hermit since coming home from school, hardly ever leaving his room, glaring and shuffling his feet when he did.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he asked her. She laughed, which was something he had not expected her to do. It wasn't _funny_.

"You've got it bad," she taunted, although he had no idea what she was talking about.

"Got what bad?" he countered.

"You're in love aren't you? With _Erza_," she sang the last word.

He spluttered.

"No-No I'm not—"

"Don't even try to deny it little brother," she looked happy now, the first real expression he'd seen fully cross her face in ages. "I can tell a relationship when I see one."

"I don't—"

"So what's bothering you?" she asked next, moving to sit on the end of his bed. "You know you can tell me anything." He looked into her violet eyes, and made a decision.

"I haven't heard from her all summer," he confessed quietly, his blue eyes darting away from her own and focusing on the pale wood of his bedroom floor.

"So?"

"So I feel like something's wrong. She said she would call me, and I dunno," he broke off when he realized how stupid he sounded.

"Then what are you waiting for?" she questioned him, her eyebrows knitting together. He frowned at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Go after her," she said, pushing him the chest, "I can't believe I had to tell you that," and she got up and walked out of his room.

…

"Hey….Dad," Gray started rather nervously, his eyes flitting towards his Father's back.

"Son?" his Father practically barked out, turning around sharply. Gray stifled a sigh. His Dad was way to over the top sometimes…make that _all the time_.

"I wanted to ask you something," Gray practically mumbled, his eyes trained on the ground.

"Ask away," his Father said, and judging from the tone of his voice, he was already bored with this conversation.

"Can I borrow your car?" Gray's voice was shaky as he spoke. He'd never asked to borrow his Father's car before, but he needed it if he was going to find Erza.

"My car?" his Father seemed more interested now that it fully involved him. He actually looked at Gray, his whole face crinkling in concern, "Why ever, would you need that?"

"Well, there's this…" Gray trailed off, trying to decide what words he could possibly use to describe this, "Girl," he finally decided, "and I'm worried about her—so I want to see if she's okay."

"It's this 'Erza' girl isn't it?" his Father asked, and Gray actually let a look of surprise cross his features.

"How do you know about Erza?" he asked in curiosity, because he knew for a fact that he'd never mentioned her.

"Lyon and Ultear talk a lot," he said by way of answer, "Is it?"

"Yes," Gray said, deciding to go with the truth for once in his life.

"You can't go," his Father replied without a second of considering. Gray looked at him for a moment, his jaw hanging open at such an abrupt answer.

"Why not?"

"Because I said so," There was something in his Father's eyes, some complicated secret that he wasn't telling him.

"What the hell kind of answer is that?" Gray demanded, his voice rising slightly.

"It's the answer I'm giving you, as _your_ Father," he said firmly, his eyebrows drawing so close together that they looked like they were joined as one.

"Well I don't accept that," Gray retorted.

"Well you have to," his Father said, "accept it and move on."

"I won't."

"You will because I told you to."

"YOU DON'T OWN ME!" now he really was yelling.

"I DO OWN YOU! I OWN YOUR FUTURE, YOU LIFE, DON'T YOU FORGET IT BOY!"

"I HAVE CHOICES—"

"YOU DON'T HAVE CHOICES! I MAKE YOUR CHOICES. Now Gray," he said, his voice lowering abruptly, "Tell me what this is really about? Are you in love with this _girl_?" he said the word 'girl' like it was vermin. Gray's stomach queasily spun in her body. His mind was totally blank, not because he was shocked by the question, but because he'd been asking himself the same question for the last month.

He abruptly turned on his heel and departed from the room like hell was following him, something almost like tears rising in his eyes. He hated his Father more than he ever had in that moment, something that tore apart at his insides until all that was left was a tangled mess of a broken life.

He slammed the door to his bedroom, the sound echoing throughout the house. He threw himself back onto his bed, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips. He fought the urge to scream out loud.

When he closed her eyes, he saw Erza's face. Her beautiful face, with that big brown eye and that red mane of hair, her way of smiling at him without showing any teeth, the way she hit him so hard he saw stars, but he was always seeing stars when he looked at her because she made him dizzy.

"Oh no," he muttered to himself, "oh hell no. I love her, I love her, I love her, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit." It wasn't that being in love with Erza scared him…okay scratch that it _terrified the living daylights out of him_. He wasn't used to loving anyone, to letting himself be open to the option of love. Yet it had happened, and very suddenly he was a boy in love, which was something he'd never been before.

"You're in love with someone?" A cool voice asked from the doorway, and Gray nearly jumped out of his skin. Lyon looked across the room towards him, and nodded in his brother's direction, "and Dad won't let you go after her?" Lyon recently had his nose broken by some random chick on the street, and his eyes were still black.

"Yeah," Gray said, for lack of better words. Lyon tossed him something shiny. Gray caught it, and glanced downwards. _Car keys_.

"Go after her dumbass, she's not going to wait forever."

…

He had ended up crawling out of his window and sprinting across the lawn to Lyon's truck. He figured he had a good hour or two before his Dad went looking for him, and that was an hour Gray was going to put to good use.

Lyon's truck was an old dark blue classic and the door stuck unless you kicked it hard. It made a loud rumbling noise as you drove it, and smelled like cheap air fresheners and cinnamon gum, the scent that their Mother's car always used to smell like. In the back of his mind, Gray wondered if Lyon meant for it to smell that way.

It only occurred to him when he was on the way out of the city he lived in, that he had no idea where Erza lived, only that it was near the mountain peaks on the south side of the country. There was one person he knew had her address for sure, and he pulled out Ultear's phone (he had 'borrowed' it from her dresser) and dialed Mirajane's number.

"Hello?" her bubbly voice came through the speaker.

"Hey Mira it's Gray. I was just wondering, could you tell me where Erza lives?"

"Gray what are you doing?" a tone of suspicion edged into her voice.

"I'm going after Erza," he said, "I'm going to find her. Mira please, I need your help."

"Are you in love with her?" Mira asked excitedly.

"Mira—"

"You are!" she squealed, and he had to hold the phone away from his ear so she didn't puncture his eardrum. "Okay let me get it for you…"

…

It was several hours of driving later and one crappy meal at a roadside McDonalds before he reached the town Erza lived in. It was called the Town of Heaven, which was a rather odd name for a town but Gray decided not to question it.

The town was very small; a collection of around sixty houses or so, clustered together at the base of the mountains. There was a tiny high school, a gas station/grocery store, and a hunting store. He stopped at the gas station, mostly to ask for more precise directions to Erza's house. It was such a small town; he expected that the lady behind the counter would know who she was.

"What can I help ya with?" the woman asked in pleasant enough voice, extending a chubby hand for Gray to shake, "Names Louise, but you can call me Lou." Gray found himself nodding back and taking her hand, it was a good thing that she was friendly.

"I'm actually trying to find someone," he said, rooting around in his pocket for the picture of Erza he had, just in case nobody did know who she was, "her name is Erza Scarlet," the woman gave a soft sigh of recognition and reached out to take the photo, probably to examine it further.

It was a picture Lucy had snapped of them sometime after she returned to the academy; Erza was wearing a happy smile, her brown eye staring directly into the camera. Gray stood next to her, and somehow they'd caught him staring down at her right before the shot was taken, his hand reaching out uncertainly to take hers. After Lucy printed and showed him the picture, he took Erza's copy and ripped it to shreds. She didn't know he was reaching for her hand when the picture was taken, and she shouldn't know.

"Are you her friend?" the woman asked, a hopeful expression filling her face.

"Her best friend," Gray corrected absentmindedly.

"Do me a favor boy," she said, "keep her smiling like this. Her house is just down the road, be careful of her stepdad."

"Thank you," he said, trying not to focus on her comment. Why wouldn't Erza smile like this normally?

…

Erza's house was tiny. It looked like a very large shed, with windows and a front and back door. The yard was filled with weeds, the sidewalk looking up to the house cracked and splintered, the blue paint of the house faded and dull. The roofs shingles were falling off, and the willow tree next to it looked like it was falling into the house.

He nervously stepped on the porch, which groaned and creaked under his weight, raising one fist to lightly knock on the shabby brown door. There was a great deal of swearing inside, and the sound of someone lumbering towards the door.

The door was pulled brutally open from the inside, so it slammed against the wall indoors. The man behind the door assault was tall, with deep tan skin and odd tattoos decorating his arms, neck and face. He had long white hair that reached his shoulders, and a beaky nose that reminded Gray of a bird. The man's eyes narrowed at the sight of him, frowning deeply as if he knew the boy from somewhere.

"Who're you?" he barked, his words slurring slightly. His eyes were so bloodshot they almost looked red.

"Gray Fullbuster sir," Gray mumbled, and then in a louder voice, "I'm a friend of Erza's." The man looked at him for a moment, and then let out a cackling laugh.

"You wanna see that Scarlet girl?" he asked, "I'm sorry, but she ain't getting any visitors from your folk. Grounded." Gray shrugged.

"That's to bad," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, "I'll just have to come back another time."

"How about you _don't_ come back?" the man suggested, "Wait for her to return at that freaky school you both probably attend."

"Right Mr.—"

"Call me Zero," the man grunted, "Best to remember it boy." And he slammed the door in Gray's face.

Somehow, that only made him more determined to find Erza. Seeing her stepfather furthered the nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach, making him nearly sick. He waited until he heard Zero stumbling back across the house, and then crept away from the porch, around to the left side of the house. How he knew it was the left side? He may never know.

He was absolutely silent as he tread through the yard, before he peeked into the first window on the left side. It was a scary sight of Zero belching in front of a shabby TV, and Gray quickly proceeded onto the next window.

He was lucky that time. This was obviously Erza's room, he could see into it. It was no bigger than a small closet, the twin bed taking almost all the space in the room. Erza was sitting on the bed; drawing in a sketchbook he had given her for Christmas the past year. Quietly, he knocked on the window.

Erza whirled around, her hand clapped over her mouth to stop herself from crying out. When she saw it was him, her eyes got huge. She bent towards the window, shoving it open with a great groaning sound.

"Don't keep the window open to long! You know I hate it when there are bugs in the house!" he heard Zero call.

"Of course not Papa!" Erza trilled back nervously. She waited for a couple moments, as if listening to hear any approaching sounds of her Father.

"Hey," he whispered, suddenly very aware of how stupid this idea. He seriously just showed up at her house in the middle of summer, without invitation, without warning—she obviously hated him—

Erza reached out and wrapped her arms around him. The hug was a bit awkward, considering she was inside the house and he was outside, but it was a hug all the same. Not being able to resist, he pressed his face into her hair, but instead of smelling of strawberries, it smelled like cigarette smoke. Still, if he concentrated enough, he could detect the faint scent, still lingering like a reminder of some of the happiest moments of their lives.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, her eye shining when she pulled back. He lifted a careful finger and brushed aside the other strands of hair, revealing the ruined mess of her other eye.

"I was worried," he confessed quietly, "when you didn't call me—" at those words Erza scowled.

"Zero wouldn't let me," she said and then gestured towards him, "back up."

"Back up?"

"I'm coming out."

He did as he was told, backing up a safe distance so she could slide out of the window. She closed it behind her, making as little noise as possible.

"Won't he come looking for you?" he asked.

"No," she answered surely, "He leaves me alone when the games on." She seemed nervous, and he noticed a bruise on her cheek.

"Let's talk," he decided, reaching out to take her hand. He tugged her to where his truck was parked, and they climbed up into the bed, before lying flat against the metal. He could see the sky from his position, but instead he turned his head and looked at her.

"What's going on?" he asked her quietly.

"What do you mean?" she asked, but her voice twanged slightly, as if she knew exactly what he was referring to.

"Who is… Zero? Is he your Father?" Erza shook her head.

"He's my Mother's husband. My Stepfather. I wouldn't be living with him at all—but Mama passed away years ago and left me with him. He was good when she was around, I promise," she sounded almost like she was defending herself.

"Does he hit you?" was his next question, although he already knew the answer. He could feel her hesitate, saw her tense up and freeze.

"No—"

"Don't lie to me Erza," he warned. She sighed.

"Yes," she finally said, "Yes he does. But I can take care of myself Gray, don't go getting anyone involved—"

"Run away with me," the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, in a torrent of passionate emotion. Erza sat up in surprise, her mouth opening in an O.

"What?"

"We can take this truck and drive," he said, "Drive wherever we want. You don't have to stay there anymore, you can be with me." She looked sad for a moment, but the moment passed and she looked harder than steel.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"There's something's you can't understand Gray," she whispered, "I can't just not come back. Leaving for school is one thing alone—but forever—I can't."

"What's holding you back?" he asked her, and her expression became guarded.

"I can't tell you," she said quickly, "I really can't. I wish I could Gray, but it's not how the world works." She stood up, leaping from the truck bed gracefully. He stood up as well, her rejection stinging in his ears.

"Okay," he said slowly.

"I really wish I could," she said, turning back to look at the house, and for a moment he thought she had succumbed to tears, "maybe in another life—but I can't." he jumped down from the bed also. She turned back to look at him.

"Erza—"

She cut him off by leaning forward, standing on her tiptoes so she could kiss him on the forehead.

"Maybe if I can figure out how to get out," she took in a harsh breath, "Gray Fullbuster, I will run away with you someday." Her voice cracked, "I promise." He could only watch as she walked back to her house, to an abusive stepfather and some other force tying her down.


	15. Into the Fire

A/N: Just read this, and tell me what you think after. *evil laugh* thanks to Epicocity as always! ALSO LINE BREAK HAS RETURNED

* * *

"_Come on, come on_

_Put your hands into the fire"_

_-Thirteen Senses, Into the Fire_

* * *

"Wendy, why don't you talk?"

The words were not unfamiliar to her ears, she'd heard them many times in the last seven years, and yet the fact that they could come out of Romeo Conbolt's mouth was still surprising in it's own way to her.

They were in her room at Laxus's, playing a game of cards that didn't require talking (per usual) . He came over to her house often during the summer, and they usually did a variety of things, mostly involving playing ball outside, but the rain was coming down hard today, and they were stuck indoors.

Her hand hovered over the pile of slick, smooth cards, she had been about to pull one. She froze in place, her brown eyes growing wider as her heart beat faster with every exhale and inhale of her body. She hadn't expected him to ask that, and suddenly she couldn't move, couldn't will her feet into taking her away, taking her far, far away from him and his words. He shifted uncomfortably, she could hear his shirt rustling against the carpet, could hear his disgruntled exhales at her silence. What was he expecting, a verbal response?

She lifted her head, tears coming to the front of her eyes. Wendy felt betrayed. Romeo had been the only person that hadn't asked her that, including Natsu, and the fact that he could be so thoughtless hurt her far more than she thought it could.

"What?" he asked her in defense to her tears, but she was so frustrated, and so done with everything.

She had been asked that question by so many people over the last seven years, in so many different ways, as if they thought she could answer. Didn't they think that she wanted to talk? Did they think that she knew what unspeakable force froze her vocal cords all those years ago? Her own voice had betrayed her, leaving her with nothing but silence and the judging stares of didn't know how that felt. Natsu had even been wary of her at first, asking her why she wouldn't speak to him, her own brother, but she couldn't tell him why. She couldn't tell herself why, she didn't know the answers.

She wanted to tell Romeo this.

But she couldn't.

She couldn't talk.

So instead, she picked up a whiteboard she kept for these occasions, she scrawled words across it, so fast that they blurred together, the words barely legible. She shoved the board at him, and he sprang back like it had stung him. She got to her feet quickly and ran, ran,ran from the room, trying to escape. He didn't understand. That question ruined her life.

"_Wendy?" the knocking at the door was frantic, resonating against the wood rapidly, desperately, "Wendy honey, let me in." _

She didn't tell Natsu what happened after they had fought with their parents.

"_Wendy please, I'm sorry," her Mother's voice caught, "We were wrong I'm sorry-" _

She hadn't said a thing.

"_Wendy please, you have to wake up honey," her Mother's voice was soft, "They're coming for us."_

"_Who's coming?" she'd finally spoke up._

"_This isn't real," her Mother whimpered, "I'm not real. I'm just an illusion, I'm inside you." Wendy darted to the door and shoved it open, but the hallway was empty._

"_Mom?!" she called, "MOMMY!" _

_There was no answer._

That morning, she had tried to tell Natsu that their parents weren't coming back, about what exactly their Mother had said the night she vanished, but her throat sealed up and wouldn't let her talk. Everytime she even tried to write it out her fingers began to ache so badly she couldn't hold a pencil. Some greater force in the world had not wanted her to tell her brother. Romeo couldn't understand that, and she couldn't even tell him in her own way, so she gave up. She had just let people assume she couldn't talk. Only Natsu knew it was a lie.

Romeo had been the one person in her life who never asked her that question. He seemed to accept her disability of some odd part of the world, refusing to let that get in between her their friendship. She had let herself believe him, let herself trust him, but that was her greatest folly.

He was just like all the rest. She stormed out of her room, her bare feet slapping against the hardwood floors. She felt betrayed, betrayed by her best friend.

* * *

Romeo stared after Wendy, his mouth open. His eyes were wide as he reread the words she'd scrawled on the board: _I hate you_. He didn't understand what he'd done to offend her so, other then asking her a rather obvious question.

He felt immensely guilty however, the feeling settling in his stomach like a queasy weight. His Father had once told him you needed to know everything about someone before you could ask them out, but now he was regretting asking him in the first place.

Had he just ruined his relationship with her?

* * *

There were some things she never thought herself capable of doing before the incident. She never thought that she was capable of striking someone down, not killing exactly, but wiping their memories with the drugs someone in the rebellion had developed.

She knew what she was doing wasn't much different than what the enemy did, but what else could she do?

"Lisanna," Sting's voice sounded from behind her, and she turned slightly, her blue eyes narrowing dangerously. "Are you sure we want to keep up with this?"

"Do I hear doubt in your voice?" she questioned, stepping closer to him so that her chest brushed up against his. She put as much power and authority into her voice as she dared, her entire being filled to the brink with venom. Sting flinched back slightly.

"What happened to you?" he whispered suddenly, his breath tickling her face, "You used to be so... _nice_." his voice lingers on the last word, his face scowling. She scowls back at him.

"I allowed you to be my partner, and it was not so you could turn your back on me now." She hissed.

"You allowed me?" Sting asked her, a tone of redemption in his voice, "I thought we partnered up because the incident forced us to."

"Oh Sting," she sighed, "You do know that you're only partners with me because I look like Yukino." his face paled considerably at her words, and she laughed. The laugh was cold, tinged with only the slightest bit of regret.

"I know you don't think I remember you from before the incident," Sting said slowly, "but I do. I saw you up there with your guild, cheering them on. What are you doing now Lisanna? Throwing your life away for what exactly? They're _happy_." Lisanna closed her eyes, and the memory flew to her mind like it always did at this time.

_Lisanna sighed at the piece of paper in her hand, another failed mission. She would soon be a blemish on Fairy Tail's name if she didn't get her act together._

_In all honesty, she didn't quite know what was going on with her. Lately she felt as if there was some kind of presence hovering around her, like her life with her family and friends was about to crumble into ashes. She had decided it was just a folly, some odd feeling she was simply getting because she thought about it too much. _

_When she came on top on the hill overlooking Magnolia however, she felt a sinking feeling in her gut._

_Something was not right. The streets were empty, devoid of the normal everyday people that usually crowded around the popular town. She was soon jogging down the streets, towards the guild, trying to tell herself not to trust the feeling in her stomach. Surely it was fine. There was some explanation for this. _

_The guild's doors were open, an odd sign. Usually the Master preferred to keep them closed, so nosy onlookers couldn't peer into their business. She ran into the hall at once._

"_Mira?" she begged the empty air, the guild was empty too, except here there were signs of a fight. Claw marks against the floor, burned tables, even a few swords sticking tip down in the floor. "Erza? Master? Elfman?" she began to shout, "Come on guys, this isn't funny! Come out!" she nearly tripped over something as she moved forward, and looking down in horror she saw Lucy's keys, scattered across the floor like candy from a pinata. _

"_So you survived my spell," the voice was cold, female, and it was oddly a beautiful, soothing sound, "I hate that there are so many of you who had that anomaly." the voice came from nowhere and everywhere at once, surrounding the empty space. _

"_Anomaly?" Lisanna questioned the empty air, letting her cat form take over her body so instead of fingers she had claws, claws that she was ready to tear out someone's eyes with. _

"_It doesn't matter. Your friends, your family, they aren't coming back. I've...relocated them. You might as well give up, you're outnumbered. I'll let you live though, it amuses me to see some sort of resistance to my efforts."_

"_Who are you?"_

"_Let me tell you something child, you won't ever find your friends again." _

"I told you to get Ultear in here!" Lisanna shouted at him, her eyes flying open.

"This started as a mission to save our guilds from her," he said, "but they're happy with these lives they think are real."

"I'm not happy," she hissed, "doesn't our happiness mean something? I said get Ultear in here damnit. I think we have a lead."

She didn't care if her friends thought that they were living in a happy, peaceful, normal world. She wanted them back, she wanted magic back in the world.

Because it had been three years.

April 12. The day magic, and all wizards, save a few who had some sort of special genetic mutation, disappeared from the world, only to reappear scattered across the country, living fake lives. Natsu, Mira, Elfman, _everyone_, thought she was dead, like she'd never came back from Edolas. Of course, none of their old adventures existed in their heads anymore.

_Not anymore._

* * *

A/n: confused? Well the Au is not actually an AU! Plot twist! If you go back you can see the hints I've added in. I hope you guys like this.


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